Love is Sweet Salvation
by kiokukaiba
Summary: This is THE SEQUEL TO "Love is a Battlfield" Seto's ancient past brings trouble to the relationship while Noa and young Seto team up! Will the love of Seto and Serenity survive? --Complete--
1. The Idea

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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Yes! The moment that many of you have been waiting for! The sequel to "Love is a Battlefield"! I hope that this is good! I'm aiming for longer chapters! Here we go! Enjoy!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I only own the plot of this story!  
  
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The air was crisp and still. It was the morning after Kaiba and Serenity confessed their love to one another. Yes, things had finally settled down for Seto Kaiba.  
  
Kaiba lay sleeping under his blue velvet sheets. The moonlight shone through his window, illuminating his quiet form. His face held a smile. Not a smile of laughter or evil, but a genuine smile of pure bliss. Yes, his mood had taken a turn for the better. The one girl that could change it all was now in his life.  
  
Serenity.  
  
Sweet Serenity. Ah, her name was perfect. Her gentle, caring nature. A true beauty in the millionaires eyes.  
  
Kaiba pulled a pillow to his face and planted his lips all over the velvet case. He was dreaming about his girl...most likely about making out with her. His eyes shot open and quickly filled with the shine of excitement.  
  
"That's it!" He flopped out of bed and ran to the notepad on his desk. "I'll make arrangements for dinner at the nicest restaurant in town! Then, I'll stop by the jewels and get her a nice necklace! Hm...what else could I do?"  
  
Kaiba hadn't realized that he was yelling all of this out. Down the hall, a cranky Mokuba had just been woken by his oblivious older brother. He growled as he slid out of bed and dragged himself down the seemingly endless hallway.  
  
"Stupid mansion," He mumbled incoherently, "Too big for only to people."  
  
He finally stumbled into the older teens room. Kaiba was rejoicing as he called out his plans. He didn't notice the black mass of hair enter his darkened bedroom. Mokuba wasn't in the mood, so he just grabbed a pillow and launched it at his brothers head.  
  
Hit by the offending object, Kaiba whirled around in his chair and came face-to-face with a not-so-happy brother. That's when he realized that he was, perhaps, a little TOO loud.  
  
"Sorry little brother. Did I wake you?"  
  
Mokuba rolled his eyes, "No Seto, I'm ALWAYS awake and ready for the day at 4am!"  
  
Kaiba sighed at his brother's sarcasm. Mokuba didn't like losing sleep, and when you woke him up, you wouldn't hear the end of it for a few days.  
  
"Sorry Mokuba. It's just that I was planning on asking Serenity out for dinner tonight..."  
  
Mokuba's frown curled into a mischievous little smile. "Oh really? So what are you going to do with her? Hm?"  
  
Kaiba leaned back in his chair, "I dunno...eat dinner...maybe have a little fun."  
  
Mokuba giggled at the word 'fun' as dirty thoughts cluttered the young boys thoughts. Kaiba just rolled his eyes. Mokuba was at that age after all. He was never like that...of course, he really couldn't be considering the fact that Gozaburo was still alive.  
  
Kaiba sighed, "I'm wanting to get her a gift, but I don't really know what she likes. Maybe a necklace or earrings...possibly a bracelet. What do you think Mokuba?"  
  
"I think that you should kiss her and hug her. Make her feel really safe around you...like me. I always like it when you hug me, and I'm sure that Serenity would too. After all, she's only three years older than I am." Mokuba smiled.  
  
Kaiba blushed at his brother's romantic side. Yes, maybe a kiss. He would also like to have that...but what if she didn't want that? Well, maybe she would. She was only 16 and Kaiba was 18...uh-oh! Serenity was still a minor! Well, as long as he made sure that Serenity's parents were okay with him, Kaiba wouldn't get into any trouble.  
  
"We'll see Mokuba. You need to get some sleep. I don't want you to be cranky all day."  
  
Mokuba nodded his head in agreement and gave his brother a hug. "G'night Seto."  
  
"Good night Mokuba."  
  
Kaiba watched as his young brother lugged himself back to his own bedroom. He should get some sleep too. If he planned on going on a date, he would need to look perfect.  
  
He rose from his chair and collapsed, face down, on the navy velvet of his sheets. Placing the thrown pillow back in its rightful spot, Kaiba wriggled under his covers. He had a big day ahead of him. The millionaire nestled his face on the pillow and nodded off to sleep...  
  
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How was that? Too short still? Sorry...anyway, I hope that you come back for chapter two! Don't forget to rate and review!!! 


	2. Excitement and Planning

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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I'm glad that you all like it so far. I'm going to try and make this one longer.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of it's characters. I only own the plot of this story.  
  
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The bright morning sun beamed through Serenity's bedroom window. Her eyes fluttered open but she had to shield them from the harmful rays. Serenity sat up, her brown hair fell around her shoulders and framed her face. As she opened her eyes wide, she took a deep breath.  
  
"My first day as Seto Kaiba's girlfriend."  
  
Serenity giggled and shivered with excitement. She felt so good inside. So happy to be with the one she had admired...and loved.  
  
"Maybe I should give him a call...or would that be overdoing it? Oh boy. This is going to be harder than I thought. I've never actually had a boyfriend. I'm sure that mom and dad would like to meet him. Or would that make him nervous? My parents would probably say something stupid like, 'What are your parents like?' or, 'When are we going to meet YOUR parents?' I guess that Seto is going to have to meet them eventually..."  
  
Serenity sighed deeply as she fell back to her warm bed. She started to close her eyes and let the feeling of sleep overcome here when the phone rang. She could hear Joey answer it in the next room over.  
  
"This is the Wheeler's residence, whatdya want?"  
  
Serenity giggled at her older brothers words. Joey was silent as the caller spoke. Joey piped up again.  
  
"Oh great! Now your callin' my house! I just knew that you couldn't resist me Kaiba."  
  
Joey was talking in a prissy tone. Serenity hopped out of bed and grabbed her phone on the end table.  
  
"Hello? Hey Seto! It's me Serenity."  
  
She didn't say more until she heard the 'click' of Joey hanging up. She could hear Kaiba laugh nervously on the other end.  
  
"Um, Serenity?" He asked, "I was wondering if you, uh, would like to, uh, go to dinner with me tonight..."  
  
Serenity nearly dropped the phone as she bounced up and down like a little child on Christmas day. She started to squeal with joy, making Kaiba let out a little giggle.  
  
"Of COURSE I'll go on a date with you Seto! Oh, I'm SO excited! Is it going to be fancy? 'Cause if it is, I don't have any fancy clothes to wear! I'll have to get new clothes and new shoes...and do my hair up nice...Oh Seto! I can't wait! Are you going to be picking me up?"  
  
"Yes Serenity. I plan to pick you up around...eight?"  
  
Serenity looked at her clock. Only ten in the morning. She frowned. She was going to have to wait ten more hours!  
  
"Yeah...eight is good, but I think that I'm going to die of anticipation! I don't think that I've ever been so excited!!!"  
  
At the Kaiba Mansion, Seto Kaiba smiled happily. "Don't worry Serenity, you aren't going to die. Just go places and have fun. It'll make time fly by. I can't wait to see you. Bye!"  
  
"Goodbye Seto!"  
  
Serenity hung up her phone and ran straight to her brothers room.  
  
"Joey! Joey!"  
  
Joey was standing in his boxers with a pair of pants and a t-shirt in his arms. He blushed slightly, but Serenity didn't take the time to notice her intrusion.  
  
"Guess what Joey??"  
  
"What"  
  
"Seto asked me out on a date tonight! We're going to diner! I think it's going to be a fancy place, so I'm gonna need a new outfit! I was thinking about going shopping with Mai and Te`a."  
  
Joey's eyes grew wide. His sister was going on a date with a guy two years older than her...alone?  
  
"Woah, wait a minute." Serenity frowned at his tone, it was questioning, "So you're telling me that tonight, you are going on a date with a guy that's two years older than you WITHOUT a chaperone?"  
  
Serenity groaned and rolled her eyes. Her brother was WAY too protective of her. She knew that he wanted to tag along and make sure that Kaiba kept his distance. Serenity knew that Kaiba wouldn't try anything funny. "Listen Joey. I know that you care about me and want to make sure that Seto doesn't touch me, but I think that I am old enough to take care of myself. Besides, Seto loves me. He wouldn't do anything to me that I wouldn't be willing to let him do."  
  
Joey sighed. He knew that his sister was determined to fend for herself. He really didn't want to get in the way of his sister's relationship, but this was Seto Kaiba. No one really knew his thoughts and Joey wasn't too sure that Serenity was safe around him. He had to give in. He didn't want er upset...but he was going to follow them, somehow.  
  
"Alright sis. You can go on ya little date thing. But I'm warnin' ya. If ya come home witout your virginity, ya can kiss mista moneybags buh-bye! Oh yeah, and when he brings ya back home, I don't wanna see non uh dis," He turned around and wrapped his arms around himself and started making kissing noises.  
  
Serenity started to laugh. "Well Joey, I can promise you that I will still be a virgin when I return, but as for the kissing...I'm not promising ANYTHING!" She burst out laughing as her brother faced her again.  
  
As Joey resumed getting dressed, Serenity darted out of his room. Today was going to be a VERY long day.  
  
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Over at Kaiba Mansion, Kaiba had just finished calling his Corporation. He wasn't going to work today. He had to make sure that he had the flowers and gifts. He had ordered a bouquet of a dozen white roses. By talking to Mai, Kaiba had learned that they were Serenity's favorite flower. They were also his deceased mother's favorite flower. He put them on her grave every year on Mokuba's birthday.  
  
Kaiba shook the thought away as he stepped over to his neatly arranged closet. It was full of trench coats and long-sleeved shirts. It was a walk-in closet, so he easily stepped inside for a closer look.  
  
"Tonight is special. I've never actually been on a date before. What if I screw up? This is going to be harder than I thought it out to be."  
  
He searched through countless outfits and even checked the drawers and cabinets of his armoire. He found nothing that seemed fitting for this special occasion.  
  
"I know! I have enough money, I'll buy a tux! Maybe she'll like that. Let's see...Maybe a white one. I look good in white. Wait a minute, I look good in EVERY color! I should ask for some help...but not from an outsider...Hm...I need someone that has good taste in fashion and knows what girls want."  
  
Mokuba waltzed into his brothers bedroom nearly the same way as he had done a few hours ago. Kaiba ran up to his little brother and hugged him tightly with a big goofy grin stretched across his face.  
  
"Oh boy. What is it that you need me to do NOW Seto?"  
  
"Well, Mokuba, I need your opinion on something. You know that I'm going on a date with Serenity tonight. I want everything to be perfect. Which color do I look better in; White or black?"  
  
Mokuba burst out laughing. He couldn't help it. His eighteen year old brother was asking HIM for fashion tips!  
  
"Well," Mokuba began, "I would say white. It brings out your eyes."  
  
Kaiba raised and eyebrow at the whole 'eye' thing. "Mokuba?" He asked, "Are you gay?"  
  
Mokuba giggled, "No way Seto!" He knew that he brother was joking. He had that joking tone in his voice. "So, are you going to go and get the tux soon?"  
  
Kaiba assumed that his nosey little brother had seen him digging through his clothes and talking about the purchase of a tuxedo. Seto Kaiba smirked.  
  
"Right now. You want to tag along?"  
  
Mokuba nodded happily and ran down to the limo. Before Kaiba left, he looked at the clock. Eleven in the morning. Only nine more hours to go.  
  
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Well? Was that long? I hope so! This is moving slow, I know, But the date isn't TOO far away! Anyways, don't forget to rate and review! Flames will be used to light the fire of love! 


	3. Shopping!

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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Thank you! I'm so happy that all of you like my story! I know that it is moving slowly, but a good story always takes time to develop (refer to Love is a Battlefield for an example)!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of it's characters. I only own the plot of this story.  
  
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Serenity had called up Mai and Te`a to make arrangements for a trip to the Domino City mall. She didn't exactly explain WHY she was in such a hurry, but she had promised an explanation during the car ride there.  
  
Mai pulled up to the Wheelers apartment in her shiny, blue convertible. She was about to press the horn to let Serenity know of her arrival, but she had no need to. As soon as the car came to a halt, the young teen came flying out of the building. Serenity ran around to the back of the car and jumped right in without even bothering to acknowledge the door.  
  
Te`a was seated in the front on the passenger side. Her purse lay on her lap and she was ready for a day of shopping...her favorite hobby. Mai gave Serenity a wink and a smile as she pulled away from the complex.  
  
"Alright Serenity," Mai began as soon as they were clear of the building, "Why were you in such a hurry to go this morning? Are you having family trouble?"  
  
Te`a glanced over at Mai with a glare, "Can't you be a little more conciderate Mai?"  
  
Serenity laughed, "Chill you two! It's nothing like that! Seto called this morning and-"  
  
"AHH!!" Mai was quick to cut her off, "Serenity is going on a date with Seto Kaiba!"  
  
Te`a snickered at Mai's excitement for the young girl. Serenity also laughed. When it came to relationships, Mai sure knew what people were thinking.  
  
"Listen hun, Seto is a rich guy, that means that you've gotta dress real nice to fit in with his crowd. We're talking a nice dress, some jewelry, brand new heels...I'm getting excited just thinking about it! This is going to be so fun! Don't worry Serenity. If you can't afford it all, I'll be perfectly willing to help!"  
  
Serenity smiled. Mai was so nice to her. Joey and Tristan always called her arrogant and inconsiderate...maybe it was because they were boys.  
  
Te`a cheered as they reached the mall, a.k.a: Heaven on Earth. All of the girls were just itching to run inside and search every rack and every shelf for the latest fashions and trends. Serenity and Te`a both jumped out of the car, once again ignoring the doors, and Mai made sure to put the top on her car.  
  
The three girls walked casually up to the large building and through the front doors. Mai made sure to park in fron of the good entrance. This entrance came into a store FULL of prom dresses. The blonde grabbed Serenity's wrist and pulled her toward the farthest wall to the right. Te`a followed.  
  
"We'll start on this end of the store and make our way to the left," Mai instructed, "Serenity, if you see any dresses that you like, pick them up, take them to the dressing room, and try them on. Don't forget to show Te`a and I what you look like in them! You have to be absolutely perfect for your man!" At those last words she gave the young teen a wink. It made Serenity blush.  
  
Te`a smiled, "What are we waiting for? Let the shopping commence!"  
  
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Kaiba and Mokuba arrived at Domino Mall. It wasn't Kaiba's favorite place, but he was there to get a tux...no problem. He turned a corner to get out of the store that they had walked into and made there way through the enormous building. Mokuba marveled at the strange people they were passing. It made Kaiba laugh to himself. His little brother was so weird sometimes.  
  
Finally they made it to the nicer store. It had nice dresses and fancy tuxedos. Kaiba nodded in satisfaction. Surely he could find something here.  
  
"So Mokuba, you think white would look good?" No answer, "Mokuba?"  
  
Kaiba spun around to find his brother wasn't there. Kaiba's eyes went wide with shock and terror. Where was his brother??? He ran through the store.  
  
"MOKUBA?!?! MOKUBA?!?!" Kaiba stopped dead. He had found his brother talking to Mai. Seto Kaiba was FURIOUS!  
  
"Mokuba!!!!!" How DARE you run off like that?!?!?! You scared me half to death!!!"  
  
Mokuba was near tears. Even though he wasn't a little kid anymore, Mokuba was still afraid when his older brother got angry.  
  
"I...I...I'm s-sorry S-Seto....P-Please don't be angry at m-me..."Mokuba looked to the floor and Kaiba's hard glare softened.  
  
"It's okay Mokuba." He hugged his little brother tightly.  
  
Mai, who had just stood by watching this little reunion, smiled at Kaiba, "Looking for something to wear tonight?"  
  
Kaiba pulled away from his brother and gave her a puzzled look, "How did YOU know?"  
  
Mai giggled, "Te`a and I are here with Serenity. Your girlfriend is in the dressing room right now. So unless you want to ruin a very nice surprise, I suggest you take your sexy little butt on over to the men's area!"  
  
Seto Kaiba was stunned at her words, but Mai just turned away from him and began a shoe conversation with Te`a. Kaiba sighed and grabbed his brother's hand to lead him back to the tuxedos. They were lined up on the walls and on racks. There were shelves of dress shoes and the heavy scent of cologne hung in the air.  
  
Mokuba freed his arm and wandered over to a nice, white tuxedo, "Hey Seto! Look at this one!"  
  
Kaiba strode over to where his brothers little finger pointed. It was a very nice white tux...of course, Kaiba knew that he would have to get sized. It would probably have to be customized considering how tall and skinny he was. No problem he had the money to have it done quickly.  
  
An older man came over to the two boys. It was obvious that he worked there. "May I help you young men?"  
  
Kaiba smirked, "Size me."  
  
Mokuba laughed. Even though he knew what his brother meant, it didn't sound very good. Of course, Mokuba and Kaiba were boys, so it came natural for them to think that way. Even Kaiba had a hard time trying to keep from laughing.  
  
The man pulled out some measuring tape and proceeded to wrap it around Seto Kaiba's tiny waist. Kaiba watched the old man's eyes go wide as he read the measurement and began to size the rest of The tall brunette.  
  
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Serenity blushed as she showed off yet another beautiful dress to the other two girls. This one was light pink and was VERY beautiful. It brought out Serenity's eye and hair color very nicely. It had no straps, but it wrapped around her neck. It came with a pink sash that went around her arms. It was beautiful.  
  
Mai and Te`a awed at it. All of a sudden Te'a took off but she quickly return with some long, white gloves.  
  
"Here Serenity, put these on." She handed the young girl the gloves. They looked very nice with the dress.  
  
Mai cheered, "Alright girls! We've got the dress, now all that we need is some nice heels, some earrings, and then we can start shopping for the usuals!"  
  
Serenity rushed back into the dressing room to change and the others girls waited happily outside the door.  
  
Serenity smiled at the dress, "I hope you like it Seto...but then again, I hope that it doesn't matter what I where...you should love me either way."  
  
As Serenity came out in her normal clothes, the three girls dashed off into the mall for a miniature shopping spree.  
  
On the other side of the store they had just left, Seto and Mokuba Kaiba were purchasing the tux of their choice. Kaiba didn't need to buy and shoes. He already had some to match it back at his mansion. He looked at his watch and sighed. Seven hours left to go...  
  
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You like? I know that I'm killing all of you with the slow passing of the time. Oh, and look at my reviews for the URL to a site with a picture of them in their outfits. Until tomorrow, Ja ne! 


	4. Getting Late

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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I'm going to try and post one chapter everyday! So far so good! I'm glad that you like it so far! Enjoy!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of it's characters. I only own the plot of ths story.  
  
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The three young girls were running about the mall in a hurry of excitement. Serenity was now looking through an assortment of shoes. What was a girl to do? All of them were pretty and many of them would look nice with her dress. Te`a was helping the younger brunette sort them out while Mai kept her distance.  
  
She was happy for the young girl, but she had always had a 'thing' for Seto Kaiba...then again, who didn't? Of course, there was always Joey...He was a hottie! He also had that adorable New York accent and that scruffy blonde hair.  
  
"We're all eighteen," Mai thought, "I'm sure that Serenity will be fine...Wait a minute!" Her eyes went wide. "Serenity?" She called out.  
  
Serenity and Te`a stopped sorting and looked over at the wide-eyed blonde.  
  
"How old are you again?"  
  
Serenity smiled, "Sixteen. Why?"  
  
"Don't you think that Seto Kaiba is just a bit too old for you? I mean, he's an adult now. Are you sure that you could handle him?" Mai was concerned for her young friend. It was only right to be. Serenity had never been alone with another boy like that.  
  
Serenity turned away, "I'm not a baby Mai. You're just like Joey. Why can't anyone understand that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself? I don't need, nor do I want, a chaperone."  
  
Mai walked over to the pile of shoes that they had created and kneeled down, "You're absolutely right Serenity. I'm sorry that thought even came to mind. Now let's pick out a pair of shoes!"  
  
Serenity laughed a bit and proceeded to dig through the shoes.  
  
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As soon as Kaiba was inside his house, he plopped down on his nice, black couch and closed his eyes. He forgot that a mischievious little boy lived in his house. The raven-haired boy ran into the room and pounced on his older brother in a fit of giggles.  
  
It knocked the wind clear out of the elder Kaiba brother. Seto Kaiba didn't really appreciate it, but he was too excited to get mad right now. He wanted to sleep, to make the time fly by, but how was he to sleep when his heart was racing a mile an hour? He pushed Mokuba off and sat himself up. Mokuba scooted beside his big brother and leaned over on his shoulder.  
  
Kaiba sighed, "Hey Mokuba? I need your advice again. If it's a first date, would bringing her to my house after diner be too much?"  
  
Mokuba's eyes nearly doubled in size (they would cover his face! lol), "Well, it depends on what you plant to do with her. Do you plan to show her around and watch T.V., or do you plan on 'getting to know each other better'?" Mokuba smirked and winked at the last part.  
  
Kaiba didn't answer. He just shrugged and smirked, "Just give me an answer Mokuba."  
  
Mokuba sighed, "Well, since she's only sixteen, you can't legally to anything to her, so...go ahead...it isn't my fault if you scare her." Mokuba hopped off the couch and bolted up the stairs.  
  
The smirk faded from Seto Kaiba's face, "True it would be illegal...but the law hasn't stopped me in the past and I'm not going to let it now!" He laughed quietly to himself...now he was filled with even MORE anticipation.  
  
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The girls had picked out a beautiful pair of white stiletto heels. They were quite expensive, but Mai had managed to get a discount from the sales guy.  
  
Mai smiled proudly, "and THAT ladies concludes out lesson on haggling." It made the other two teens laugh. They had FINALLY found a nice outfit for the younger girls first date and were off to go shopping for everyday clothes and fashionable jewelry.  
  
Serenity looked at her watch. It was 2:30PM. It hadn't even been five hours yet! Some days, time flies by quicker than you wanted it too, but on other days, especially this day, minutes seemed like hours!  
  
The girls, once again, made their way though the many stores of Domino City Mall. They bought, flare pants, mini-skirts, tube tops, tons of cute shirts, and each got a new pair of shoes.  
  
Mai laughed, "I think that my credit card it melting from all the scanners!" They let out a laugh. Yeah, the girls had gone a bit overboard, but it was only normal.  
  
Serenity stopped to sit down on a bench located near the mall's many fountains, "My feet are KILLING me! How long have we been here?"  
  
Mai looked at the clock that was located on her cell phone, "About five hours."  
  
Serenity looked quickly at her watch, "If we arrived here at 11:30AM, then it must be about...4:30PM! Oh my gosh!! Only three and a half more hours!" She happily bounced up and down on the seat as the other two girls happily joined her.  
  
Te`a's stomach rumbled, "I'm STARVING! We haven't even eaten lunch yet!! Can't we grab some lunch before we leave?" Her question was answered by rumbling stomachs from the other two  
  
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The teens had all filled up on the many fast foods that were in the mall...well, Serenity didn't eat very much. She wanted to save room for her dinner with Kaiba. Serenity was tempted to look at her watch. She could see the sky get a small bit darker outside. It got completely dark at about 8:18PM so she estimated that it was about six O'clock.  
  
Mai stretched her arms, "Alright Serenity, time for some dating tips. These are VERY important, so listen up. When he first picks you up, he should compliment you on how beautiful you look. If he doesn't, then something is wrong with that boy! Next, If you see him smile, look at his teeth. If they're dirty, then you aren't going to kiss. If they are white, then that means that he plans on making out with you! Third, if he keeps on looking at your chest during the time that you are talking to him, then that means that he only wants you for your little presents! And the final thing, If he even ASKS if you want to go home with him, say 'NO!' He is an adult and you are still a child! Who knows what the boy could be planning!"  
  
During the lecture, Serenity and Te`a were laughing hysterically. My finished her speech with a motherly nod of her head and then commenced to laugh with the other two. Serenity was tempted once again to look at her watch to check the time...and she did. Her estimation must have been wrong! It was 6:15PM already!  
  
Serenity jumped from her chair, "AHH! It's already 6:15! I need to hurry if I plan to do my hair and get ready in time!"  
  
The other girls also jumped up from their seats and grabbed the many bags of purchased goods. They ran as quickly as possible through the mall, out the door, through the parking lot, and jumped right into the car. Mai barely gave her passengers the chance to fasten their seatbelts before she started the engine and took off toward Serenity's house.  
  
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Yayness! Okay, I promise that the date will be in the next chappie...uh- oh, it's gonna be a REALLY long chappie! More yayness! Rate and review! 


	5. The Date

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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Just to clear up some confusion, TWO chapter were posted yesterday (chapter 4 was posted late at night) so some of you might not have seen it. Anyways, this is chapter five! Enjoy!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of it's characters. I only own the plot of this story.  
  
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Mai was trying her best not to speed as she raced ro get Serenity home. Once they reached the apartment, the three girls jumped over the doors and Te`a and Serenity ran inside while Mai put the top up. Mai was soon able to take off after them to help get Serenity ready.  
  
Joey was sitting down, eating dinner when out of nowhere, Te`a and Serenity flew inside in a clatter of heels and shopping bags. They were soon followed by Mai, who didn't even bother to run like that were. It was 6:45 after all. They would be ready in time.  
  
As soon as all three were in Serenity's room, they emptied the bags that held her dress and shoes onto her bed. Serenity slid off her shirt. She was a little bit embarrassed, but it wasn't TOO bad because they were both girls. Mai handed her a strapless bra. She had to wear it or else the straps on her regular one would show.  
  
Serenity turned away from the other two and commenced to change. With a little bit of help from Te`a and Mai, Serenity slip the dress down over her head. It looked very nice. She had always loved the color pink after all.  
  
After awhile of toying with Serenity's hair, Mai came to the conclusion that it looked better if Serenity kept her hair the same. Serenity smiled at herself in the mirror while Mai brushed her long, brown hair. She was so pretty tonight.  
  
Her mind traveled to her date, "Seto..." She thought. "Will you like me this way? Does it really matter to you?" Serenity shook away her thoughts again when Mai put the hairbrush down.  
  
"Hun, you look gorgeous! Oh, I'm so proud of you! Only sixteen and already going on a date with the hottest guy in town!" Mai sort of cringed at the last part.  
  
Serenity didn't notice, "Thank you so much Mai!" She hugged the blonde. Then she ran over and hugged the blue-eyed brunette, "You too Te`a!"  
  
It was completely silent. None of them could think of something to say. In the dead silence. They could hear the ticking of Serenity's bedroom clock. In unison, the three girls turned slowly around to find the time. 7:55PM. Serenity nearly squealed in her excitement. FINALLY it was time to go! She walked quickly towards the front door and peeked out the window. He wasn't there yet. No problem, she could wait for him.  
  
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Seto Kaiba had just finished dressing. He looked VERY cute in his new suit. The shirt that he wore under it was blue...like his eyes. It was Mokuba's idea.  
  
He spun around and looked at his clock. 7:57PM.  
  
"AHHHH!!! Mokuba?? I gotta go!!! I'm gonna be late!!" He ran quickly down the stairs, making sure to grab her gifts as he went. He ran out the front door and throught that gates to his mansion. A long, black limousine was waiting for him just outside. Kaiba thrust the door open and climbed inside, ordering the driver to hurry.  
  
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Serenity was still waiting. Mai and Te`a had stayed with her just in case Seto Kaiba decided not to show. Mai bit her lip. It was 8:05PM. Kaiba was already late...that is, if he was going to come at all.  
  
Serenity was about to cry when a beautiful black limousine pulled up. She watched as the door opened and a man climbed out. It was none other than the great Seto Kaiba! He wore a very nice white tux and he was carrying a bouquet of flowers.  
  
Kaiba was very nervous as he rang the doorbell. The door flew open, revealing Serenity, Mai, and Te`a. Kaiba was even MORE nervous now that there were spectators. He looked at the bouquet and handed it to Serenity.  
  
"I got these for you..." Serenity carefully took the flowers.  
  
"White roses? Oh Seto! They're beautiful!!!" She ran off to put them in a vase of water. Kaiba stepped inside to wait. Serenity soon returned, "How did you know that they were my favorite?"  
  
Kaiba shrugged and looked to the floor, "I have my sources." He look into Serenity's eyes and winked. Mai and Te`a kind of giggled at Kaiba's soft side. Kaiba looked Serenity up and down, "You look beautiful tonight Serenity." He smiled when Serenity blushed.  
  
Seto Kaiba opened the door and led Serenity out to the limousine that he had come in. The driver got out and opened the door for the two to climb inside, and shut the door behind them.  
  
Serenity marveled at the fine leather seats and the strong scent of expensive cologne. Serenity noticed the uncomfortable look on her dates face, "What's wrong Seto?"  
  
Kaiba shifted in his seat and looked over at her, "It's not much...I'm just a little nervous...aren't you?" Serenity nodded her head as if to say 'yes.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mai and Te`a had gone out the door and were about to leave when they saw Joey heading towards his father's car with keys in his hand. Mai rushed over and grabbed his wrist to prevent him from leaving.  
  
"Where do you think YOU'RE going Wheeler?" Her voice held a sort of taunt.  
  
Joey pulled from her grip, "I'm gonna follow dem. I need ta make sure dat dat rich snob keeps his grimy paws off uh my sista!"  
  
Mai slapped Joey on the face, "You can't do that! This is her first date Joey. She needs to know that if something happens than it is because of her actions. She doesn't want anybody's help Joey!"  
  
Joey held his cheek, "But Mai...She's only sixteen!"  
  
Mai sighed, "I know Joey, but it's not like she's going to his house! They are going to a restaurant full of people! I'm sure that she will be fine."  
  
Joey pulled away and trudged back inside. Mai was right. It was all up to Serenity now to make the right choices.  
  
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Kaiba and Serenity were walking into the restaurant. It was called, 'The Soft Breeze.' Sure it had a stupid name, but it was the fanciest place to eat in all of Domino.  
  
They were seated almost immediately. Two candles were lit on the table and the room was rather dark. The waiter handed them the menus, bowed, and walked away. Serenity was still looking around, fascinated by the scenery.  
  
"I take it that you like the place I have picked." Kaiba smiled as she turned to face him quickly at the sound of his voice.  
  
When the waiter returned, Kaiba ordered both the drinks and the meals for him and Serenity. Serenity gave him a look. She didn't even look at the menu. He didn't give her a chance to. She was a little bit mad, but decided to let it pass.  
  
Her mind drifted back to Mai's 'dating tips.' He did the first thing...now Serenity had to see his teeth. She looked into his eyes and smiled happily. It made Kaiba laugh and his teeth were perfectly visible. They were paper-white. If Mai was right, then that meant that Kaiba wanted a kiss...but maybe they were ALWAYS that white. He had to keep them clean. He was always on T.V. and stuff.  
  
As the food and drinks arrived, Serenity looked at Kaiba carefully. You could tell he was hungry. His tongue was slightly sticking out the side of his mouth and his eyes were on the food. Each of them got lobster and steak....a somewhat odd combination, but it looked good nonetheless.  
  
Serenity watched Kaiba slip the cloth napkin off of his fine silver ware and lay it in his lap. He gently picked up his knife and fork and daintily cut off a tiny chunk of meat and popped it in his mouth. Kaiba looked up at Serenity, noticing that he was being watched.  
  
"Sorry!" Serenity didn't seem to realize that she had been staring until that moment. She copied his actions just to make sure that she didn't look like a slob in front of her rich boyfriend.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
As the night went along. They both began talking. Mainly about things like work and brothers. How they spent their day and talking about hobbies. The basic 'get to know you' stuff.  
  
Kaiba pulled out a small box and handed it to her. Serenity carefully pulled the top off. Layed inside was a beautiful necklace with hundreds of little diamonds. Her eyes went wide. She had never seen something so beautiful in her life.  
  
"Is this for me?" She asked, in a fit of sheer wonder.  
  
Kaiba smiled. It was obvious that she was both shocked and utterly pleased with her gift, "Of COURSE it's for you! I'm glad that you like it, but...can I have a little something in return?"  
  
Serenity looked up. Kaiba was now kneeling beside here. Their noses were just inches apart. She knew what he wanted. Why else would he have gotten so close? Serenity granted the older boys request. She leaned in and gave him a soft kiss. Kaiba licked her bottom lip. He wanted her to open her mother so that he could insert his tongue. Unfortunately, Serenity was uncomfortable with the whole thing and closed her mouth even tighter.  
  
Unhappy with the reaction he had received, Kaiba pulled away and returned to his seat. Serenity kind of felt bad, but she knew that he would get over it.  
  
Once both of them had eaten nearly all of their meals, Kaiba payed the bill and helped her back to the limousine. Serenity didn't look out the window on the way back. She probably should have. They both continued to talk about recent happenings and how good the dinner was. Serenity started to feel even more nervous when she noticed the city lights fading away.  
  
"Um, Seto?" She asked, "My apartment is in the other direction."  
  
Kaiba bit his lip and looked out the window, "Well, I figured that we would stop by my house...Mokuba wanted to see you."  
  
Serenity felt some relief. If it was for Mokuba, then there wasn't anything for her to worry about. She'd go inside, say hello to Mokuba, maybe take a tour of the mansion, and go home. Mai and Joey were so wrong about Seto Kaiba. He wasn't perverted like other boys.  
  
With his back still facing Serenity Wheeler, Seto Kaiba smirked mischievously. He knew very well that Mokuba was staying the night at a friends house, but it was a way to get her to come inside. He would give her a nice tour...of his bedroom.  
  
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YAY! Evil Seto! You like? Rate and review! 


	6. The Return of Little Seto

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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Hello again! I'm still doing a chapter a day!! This story is going to start getting REAL strange REAL soon...kinda like "Love is a Battlefield." So, I hope that you all don't mind. It will flow like "Love is a Battlefield" and will have the same feel. I am actually planning on this being a series (in other words, making a sequel to THIS story too!). Do you think that it sounds good? Anyways, enjoy!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I only own the plot of this story.  
  
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The stars were high in the sky as the dark limousine pulled up to the iron gates of the Kaiba Mansion. Two guards stood on either side of the closed gate. They wore black suits and dark sunglasses. It reminded Serenity of a spy movie or James Bond. Kaiba rolled down the back window and leaned his head out. He ordered the two men to open the gates to allow them inside.  
  
Serenity thought that the car was going to pull in. Instead, Kaiba opened the door and helped her out. As they passed through the opened gate, the limousine drove around the house. Seto Kaiba pulled out a gold key and shoved it into the lock on his front door. With a simple twist, he pulled it out, place it in his back pocket, and turned to Serenity.  
  
"Are you ready?" He smiled.  
  
Serenity happily nodded and Kaiba turned the knob, opening one of the very large oak doors.  
  
She marveled at the mansions beauty. Right when you walked in, you were in a very large room where the ceiling went all the way to the roof of the house. There was a large, crystal chandelier that hung above you and a large Persian rug decorated the hard-wood floors. (A/N: Okay, I saw the episode where the guards went into his house and it wasn't ANYTHING like I am describing. It was actually very tacky. But let's just say that Kaiba did some redecorating _)  
  
The staircase was straight ahead of them. The wood of the rails was carved into and elegant masterpiece and there were beautiful, red carpet runners going all the way up.  
  
She went around to look at all of the painting and pictures on the walls. Some of them were of Mokuba and Seto. Others were of scenery and events. Some were people that Serenity had never seen before in her life...but all were beautiful.  
  
Kaiba just watched as the young girl wondered around the entrance. He watched as she touched the statues and paintings and laughed as she stared in awe at the crystal chandelier. He could easily tell that she wasn't used to such finery.  
  
"Well, I guess that you like it." Kaiba got tired of waiting.  
  
Serenity looked at him and blushed, "Sorry. It's all just so beautiful...by the way, why didn't Mokuba come down when you came home?"  
  
Kaiba started to sweat. He needed an answer quickly before she figured him out, "Uh...he's probably listening to music," He tried to keep his voice in a calm tone even though he was nervous, "Let's go look in his room."  
  
Both teens made their way up the staircase and Serenity was, once again, amazed. There were so many rooms! She followed Kaiba into one. It was rather plain compared to the rest of the house. On the door, there was a copper plate that said 'Mokuba'. When she and Kaiba stepped inside, the little Kaiba was nowhere to be found.  
  
When Serenity wasn't looking, Kaiba smirked and began to think, "It's working. Now all that I have to do is get her into my room..."  
  
"Serenity," Kaiba said as he tapped the girls shoulder, "Maybe we should check my room. He likes to play jokes like that on me ALL the time."  
  
Serenity giggled at Mokuba's antics and followed the tall Brunette. On the way to his bedroom, she glanced at the pictures that adorned the walls. In one spot, there was nothing there...but it looked thin...she looked away from it. No big deal, so it was a weird spot on the wall...it was nothing for her to worry about. She would just tell Kaiba that he needed to fix it later.  
  
They soon reached another door. Serenity remembered this one. It was Kaiba's. His door also had a copper plate, but it said 'Seto'. With a wide grin, Seto Kaiba turned the knob and thrust the door open. Serenity walked inside first. She heard the door shut behind her, along with the sound of the door locking.  
  
She spun around to face him, "Mokuba isn't really here is he?"  
  
Kaiba frowned she had caught onto him, "No...he's staying the night at a friends house...I just wanted to be alone with you. He glanced over at the clock. It was 11:30PM. Joey was probably freaking out, "Stay the night at my house Serenity."  
  
Serenity bit her lip. She didn't know if she could trust Kaiba. She looked into his eyes and saw nothing but caring, blue jewels staring back. She picked up the phone that was by Kaiba's bed and dialed her home phone number. Joey answered.  
  
"Hello? Dis is da Wheela's."  
  
"This is Serenity." She replied. She knew that Joey was about to start yelling, so she just kept talking, "Before you freak out, I just wanted to let you know that I am sleeping over at Mai's house tonight."  
  
Joey sighed in relief, "I was worried sick about ya! Well, as long as yer safe...Have fun sis."  
  
"Alright, bye." She replied and then hung up the phone. She couldn't believe that she had just lied to Joey like that.  
  
Kaiba smiled. She was so pathetic...so helpless. He took out one of his long, green work shirts and tossed it to her, "You can sleep in that. You're going to sleep in my bed with me."  
  
Serenity bit her lip again...she was getting more and more nervous by the second. Slowly, she picked up the shirt and walked into his bathroom to change.  
  
Kaiba darted around the room. He took off his clothes and threw on some pajama pants. Then he turned off all of the lights, and walked toward his bed. He stopped before he got there. His eyes went wide as two glowing blue eyes stared back.  
  
Little Seto was back...but why?  
  
"Seto," He began, his voice was an angry whisper, "If you so much as THINK about raping Serenity, I will break every bone in your body!"  
  
Kaiba swallowed hard. He knew that the little Seto was dead serious. He cared about Serenity too and didn't want her to get hurt. Kaiba nodded, "Yes sir..." It felt strange calling himself that, but it was the only way to make him leave. Just as he thought, the young Seto smiled and faded away.  
  
Maybe it was just his conscience telling him not to hurt her...he didn't like his conscience very much. He could do what he wanted with his life.  
  
Serenity came out of the bathroom and slipped into the nice, soft sheets of Kaiba's bed. He climbed in soon after. They were facing each other, so Kaiba saw it as an opportunity to pull her into a tight embrace. He placed his head on her shoulder. His idea now was to roll her over on her back and pin her arms above her head. He made the mistake of thinking that. Blue eyes flashed from somewhere near the window. Kaiba blacked out...  
  
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YAYNESS! This is a PG-13 fic people! No lemons allowed! I hope you liked it! I will explain the wall thing in the next chappie! Rate and review! 


	7. The Door In The Wall

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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Howdy! I'm here again! Yeah, I know that chapter 6 had a strange twist, but that is my specialty!!! Anyways, here is chapter 7! I'm trying to post more than one chapter a day. I'm on the computer 24/7, so it isn't very hard. Now on to the ficcie! Enjoy!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I only own the plot of this story.  
  
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Serenity remembered seeing a bright blue flash reflection on the mirror behind Kaiba. She didn't even have the time to scream. She had immediately blacked out...  
  
As Serenity awoke the next morning, she sat up and examined the room around her. Everything was the way it had looked the other night, and Seto Kaiba was sleeping like a baby right beside her. She decided that it was best to just pass the flash off as a wild dream or hallucination. Kaiba would probably call her crazy if she mentioned it to him.  
  
She slid out of his VERY comfortable bed and left the room. She let Kaiba sleep. She didn't want to wake him. He look so happy when he was asleep...so peaceful. Serenity looked down at herself. Seto Kaiba's long, green, button-down shirt nearly reached her knees! No wonder Kaiba always tucked it in...of course, he had recently been wearing a white coat and a black sweatshirt along with some sexy leather pants.  
  
Serenity was now out in the enormous hallway that she had passed through just the other night. A shiver went down her spine as she, once again, noticed that screwed up spot on the wall. She tiptoed over to it and ran a hand down every dip and bump.  
  
"Having fun?" A voice came from behind her. She quickly recognized it as Kaiba. He sounded a bit nasal...so THAT's what he sounded like in the morning!  
  
Serenity spun around and hugged him, "No, it's just that it looks funny."  
  
Kaiba looked at her then at the wall, "Now that you mention it, it DOES look a little messed up." He ran a hand over the surface. He could reach higher than Serenity, and hit a large bump near the top, "Odd..." He whispered. Being a curious boy, Kaiba began to roughly tap at the plaster until it began to fall off.  
  
Both of them gasped. He had revealed the corner of a copper plate. Kaiba went wide-eyed. Did he really want to know who's door had been covered up? He had never actually noticed this before. He glanced at Serenity. She stared at the covered plate with eager, young eyes.  
  
So Kaiba began to tap at it again...without warning, a large chunk of plaster fell off and crashed in a puff of dust onto the floor, revealing the full name plate.  
  
Noa.  
  
Kaiba didn't move. Neither did Serenity. Both were lost in memories of battle city** (see the bottom of this chapter). Noa had knocked the battle ship off course and then kidnaped Mokuba. He wanted Seto Kaiba dead. Noa came close to achieving his goal...but Yami Yugi was able to stop him. Yes, Noa was a monster trapped inside a child's body...or hologram rather, but that was a whole 'nother story in it's self!  
  
The fact was, Serenity and Kaiba remembered all of this, and then to see his name...it was like the nightmare was beginning again and they were in the midst of it.  
  
Within moments, Kaiba was able to shake away the shock that had swept over him, "I want to see his room. I want to see what is on the other side of this door. All that I have to do is hire some people to chip off the plaster for me. It shouldn't take long. You should tell your brother where you are."  
  
Serenity looked to the floor, "He thinks that I'm at Mai's house, remember?"  
  
Kaiba mentally slapped himself. DUH! He had watched as she called her brother and flat out lied to him. If she told her brother where she had REALLY gone, she wouldn't be allowed out of the house alone until she was 18!  
  
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Joey woke up and stretched his arms, "I wonda what my sis is up to."  
  
He picked up the phone that was on his night stand and dialed Mai's number.  
  
"Hello?" Mai answered.  
  
Joey smiled, "Is Serenity up yet? I was thinkin about maybe takin her out fer breakfast."  
  
"Um, Joey" Mai began, "Serenity never came to my house..."  
  
Joey panicked, "SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS STAYIN DA NIGHT A YER HOUSE!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE DAT MY OWN FLESH AN BLOOD LIED TA ME!!! I BET YOU SHE SLEPT OVER AT RICH BOYS MANSION!!! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON THAT SNOBBY FREAK, I'M GONNA RING HIS NECK!!!" angrily, he slammed the phone back on the receiver and ran to his car. He was still in his pajama's, but he didn't care about that right now. He had to get to his siter.  
  
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Tires screeched outside the mansion. The guards let the boy in. They knew why he was there.  
  
As Joey ran inside and up the stairs he saw a cloud of whit dust and heard the sounds of machinery. Through it all, the blonde could see his sister. She was wearing one of Kaiba's shirts. She was leaned up against Seto Kaiba's side and he has his arm wrapped around her.  
  
He marched over to the two and pulled Serenity away. He saw the terror in his sister's eyes. She knew that she was in trouble. Before he could start screaming, the men with the machines left and he saw that they had revealed a door. The doorknob was missing, but it was a door nonetheless.  
  
The white powder had covered everyone and everything. A powdery Kaiba reached two fingers inside the hole where a doorknob once was and was about to pull it open...but he jump back when he felt that someone was watching him. He could feel it...something was near. Obviously Serenity and Joey had felt it too. They were glancing around worriedly but when they looked down the hall, the stopped completely.  
  
Kaiba spun around to face the direction in which they looked. He saw why. About three feet away, covered in white dust, was little Seto. It was pretty creepy at first, but Kaiba just laughed. The ghost-child shook the dust away and Kaiba's throat went dry. It wasn't little Seto who had paid him a visit. It was Noa. The REAL Noa.  
  
Noa looked his step brother right in the eyes and smirked mischieviously, "Where do you think you're going?"  
  
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**All of the finalists of Battle City go on a giant blimp called the "Battle Ship." As they are heading to Alcatraz Tower, the place where the tournament finals will take place, the Battle Ship is knocked off course. The cannon that had knocked it off course had come from a fortress under the sea. It was the work of Noa, Seto's dead step brother. Noa controls the blimp and brings it into the fortress. That is what begins the "Noa Arc" (No pun intended.). I don't have time to explain the whole thing, but those episodes will come to america soon. America is on episode 76 and Noa first appears in episode 98! (Some of the information could change. I have written that summary from information off of the Japanese anime...the dubbers will probably change a lot of it.  
  
If you want more Noa information or information on the Noa Arc or Egyptian Arc than please e-mail me at: kiokukaiba@yahoo.com!  
  
SPOILER: In ancient Egypt, Seto and Yami were cousins!!!  
  
Rate and Review! 


	8. Millennium Rod

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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Okay, I need to clear some things up. I have seen up to episode 158 because of a certain website. Yes, I'm pretty sure that Noa is younger (well, if he were alive, then he would be the same age as Seto). He LOOKS childish! I has black socks that go up to his knees, brown shoes, white shorts, and a long-sleeved white shirt with a collar. Plus his eyes look childish...I think he is a little bit older than Mokuba.  
  
As for the spoiler, I just figured that I would give you a little fact that stunned the heck out of me when I read the manga! But yes, Seto and Yami actually WERE cousins in ancient Egypt! It is NOT a joke. Seto's father, Akunadin, was the brother of the Pharaoh. Seto was also older than Yami.  
  
ANYWAYS, I'm sorry about taking so long to update. Fourth of July and stuff...enough of that, on with the fic!!! Enjoy!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I only own the plot of this story.  
  
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(A/N: I'm going to be switching back and forth between Seto and Kaiba for obvious reasons)  
  
Kaiba couldn't move. Right before him stood his step brother, Noa, who had died before Kaiba and Mokuba were adopted by Gozaburo Kaiba. Noa and Seto Kaiba held an uncanny resemblance. The main differences were Noa's extra bangs, there hair coloring, and the fact that Noa looked so much younger than the tall brunette.  
  
Kaiba searched his mind for ways that this could be possible, but to no avail. Noa stood in front of his replacement, looking smug. Noa was pleased with Seto Kaiba's look of fear. Seto watched his step brother's taunting smile. He couldn't let that little punk spook him! He was a Kaiba, and Kaiba's NEVER got scared!  
  
Seto Kaiba smirked his trademark smirk and laughed a haughty laugh, "So, you're Noa? I thought that you were a teen...not some tacky child." He mad the last statement while studying his green-haired look-alike.  
  
Noa was dressed in white shorts, a white long-sleeved shirt with a collar, black knee-high socks, and brown shoes. Not exactly the trend setter of the family.  
  
The adopted Kaiba watched as Noa's facial expression became angry. It was slightly disoriented. Seto Kaiba could tell that the comment had gotten to the younger boy. Noa clenched his fists and let out a sort of growl. The green-haired Kaiba swung one of those balled up fists at the taller boy but ended up slamming it right into one of the metal plates around Seto Kaiba's lower arm. It didn't hurt Noa, but it frustrated him and confused Seto. Noa could touch stuff...then again, some ghosts could do that...unless it was another hologram.  
  
Noa's fist rose in the air to take another swing, but it stopped when the top stair creaked. The four turned around to find Mokuba. He was home from his little sleep over and it was clear on his face that the mess upstairs shocked him.  
  
Mokuba's eyes met with Noa's, "Seto? What is HE doing here?" The anger showed in his violet eyes.  
  
Serenity and Joey were still silent. Serenity was now by her brother, hugging him tightly to get away from the ghost.  
  
Noa's eerie smile turned to a frown, "Listen, all that I ask is that no one goes into my room." He lifted his hand toward the recently discovered door.  
  
Kaiba's eyes shot open as Noa melted through the door and into the room. When the brunette saw Serenity hugging her brother, his shocked expression turned into his famous glare. Joey saw this and glared right back at him. It was almost like a staring contest and neither one was winning. Mokuba giggled as he looked back and forth between the two older boys.  
  
Serenity stared into the eyes of Kaiba, but she actually blinked...Joey didn't bat an eye. The young girl watched as Kaiba's eyes appeared to go into a daze. Almost like he was in a hypnotic state. The golden eye (the one on all of the millennium items) appeared on his forehead. It glowed with a fierce yellow light that threatened the blonde opponent. Stunned, Joey's eyes went wide and he reached over to hold onto Serenity.  
  
Serenity was afraid for her new boyfriend. She remembered how Yami Marik acted in Battle City. He had that same golden eye glowing on his forehead. She had later been told that it wasn't because of the Millennium Rod. It was because Marik had an evil side that eventually took over*.  
  
Seto Kaiba now owned that rod. It belonged to him**, but Serenity knew that no good could come from the spirit that thrived within.  
  
Serenity struggled and broke free from her brother's grasp and ran to the brunette. He turned to her with a deadly grin, as he pulled the Millennium Rod out from behind him (if Marik could put it in HIS back pocket, then why can't Kaiba? lol!). Serenity gasped and backed away. Her brother stepped quickly in front of her.  
  
"Listen ya ancient...ancient...um...whateva ya are! Ya ain't gonna be hurtin' my sista!" Joey was quite defensive.  
  
Kaiba, or Seto really, giggled slightly and turned to face Mokuba. Mokuba's violet eyes met with raging pools of blue. The ancient Seto was in control. Kaiba had a Yami, and that Yami wasn't very nice.  
  
Seto pulled off the lower half of the rod, revealing a gleaming dagger. As he approached the shivering, raven-haired boy, he rose the golden dagger high above his head. Mokuba tried to flee down the stairs, but the crazed Yami grabbed him with his free hand. Seto laughed, a psychotic grin danced upon his face, his navy eyes grew even darker.  
  
Mokuba wailed in fear. What was his brother thinking? Was he really going to kill the one bit of family that he had left? Wasn't he going to fight?  
  
The dagger raced toward Mokuba's neck...it stopped when it had barely nicked the skin. Mokuba's heart pounded in his chest. Joey and Serenity were frozen where they stood, their faces struck with horror and unvoiced pleas for the younger Kaiba's safety.  
  
Seto Kaiba pulled the dagger away and dropped to his knees, gripping at his head frantically, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!!" His voice was shaken and cracked at the great volume in which it was yelled. Kaiba wasn't going to give in without a good fight. He glanced at the rod that he held in his sweaty hand. He grinned and threw it at the wall. It made contact and fell to the floor.  
  
Serenity ran the millionaire, "Oh Seto! I was so worried about you and Mokuba! You nearly murdered your own brother!" She cried heavily into Kaiba's chest.  
  
Mokuba glared at Serenity. HE was supposed to be the one hug his brother, not some stupid girl! He watched her as she cried on his big brother. She was pathetic...and still, she was starting to bug Mokuba. There was no way that he was going to let some wimp hog his big brother!  
  
Kaiba could see the jealousy in Mokuba's eyes, but decided to just ignore it. Instead, he shifted his sights over to the rod that lay on the dusty floor. Then it hit him. The room was still completely covered in white powder. The maids would have a fit, but they would have to deal with it.  
  
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An hour later, Joey and Serenity had left without another word and the maids were fussing with the carpet upstairs. The two brothers were seated on the couch in the living room.  
  
"Seto?" Mokuba began, his violet eyes wide and innocent, "I don't like Serenity hogging you all the time. She cries to much and she keeps on hanging on you. She isn't the only one in your life. I probably love you more than she does!"  
  
Seto sighed. He knew that this would happen sooner or later, "Listen Mokuba. I know that it is hard for you, but you need to realize that I also love her. You aren't the only one anymore."  
  
Tears filled the younger Kaiba's eyes, "But...you still love ME right?" His mouth trembled at he waited eagerly for his older brother's answer.  
  
Kaiba's tone softened as he glomped his brother, "Of COURSE I still love you! You're the reason that I'm still alive! You're the one that get's me through tough times! You're my baby brother, and I could NEVER stop loving you!"  
  
Mokuba giggled. He didn't like being called a BABY brother, but he liked big hugs from his big brother. He felt safe in his brother's arms. He frowned when the brunette pulled away and went back upstairs to taunt the maids.  
  
Mokuba slumped on the leather couch and flipped on the T.V.  
  
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*Marik's evil side took over when he and Isis saw their father whipping their servant. The evil Malik came out BEFORE he went over to get the Millennium Rod and proceed to murder his father. Marik's father was Seto's father in ancient Egypt! lol!  
  
**Yeah the Millenium Rod belonged to Seto in ancient Egypt. In episode...94, the Millennium Rod will help Seto in a duel against Isis. America is on episode 77, so you're gonna have to wait! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!  
  
Yay! Mokuba jealousness! Annoyed Noa, and much more! Rate and review and wait for the next chapter! 


	9. Breathe A Sigh

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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Sorry about the long wait!!! I had severe writers blockage!!! I wont be able to update for about a week after this because I will be out of town...so just to warn you. Anyways, here is chapter 9! Enjoy!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its character. I do not own the song "Breathe a Sigh." The Song belongs to Def Leppard. I only own the plot of this story.  
  
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Soon after Serenity was safe at Mai's house, Joey headed over to the Taylor residence to blow off some steam. He had to walk...he didn't have his car with him. But he didn't mind walking. The cool wind on his face cooled him down and lowered his temper a bit. Who was he kidding? That wind wasn't doing the least bit of good. He would calm down as soon as he throttled Seto Kaiba.  
  
Why shouldn't Joey be ticked? Serenity was at Kaiba's house wearing Kaiba's shirt! Why wasn't she wearing her OWN clothes? Did she just change into something more comfortable or did she and Kaiba get it on??? Why the hell did she lie to her only brother? The brother that had saved her eyesight and was always there for her? Was this a sign of rebellion? A sign of hate?  
  
The thoughts looped in Joey Wheeler's mind. Too many unanswered questions. He must have been in a daze. He was now standing at the door to Tristan's home. If he couldn't hurt Kaiba to bring his temper down, then he would just have to hurt Tristan.  
  
Tristan Taylor opened the door to see a fist coming toward his face. Being the odd-minded fool he is, he watched it. The offending hand crashed into the brunettes face calling him to fall to the ground. Tristan held his nose and jumped to his feet.  
  
"What was that for?!?!" Tristan's voice sounded nasal, for his nose was pinched between his index finger and his thumb.  
  
Joey breathed a sigh, "Serenity stayed the night at Seto Kaiba's house da otha night. I tink she slept wit him."  
  
Tristan forgot about is nose, "Are you serious? Joey, if you want her to go out with someone else, like, you know....me, just let me know. I won't mind."  
  
Joey rolled his eyes. He knew that Tristan liked his sister. Just the thought made him cringe. Of course, Tristan was someone that he could trust. Tristan and Joey were the best of friends. He didn't like the thought of Serenity going out with Seto Kaiba, but he was the richest guy in the city! Why on Earth would he want to give up the chance to have a rich brother in-law! Then again...he cared about Serenity a heck of a lot more than he cared about money. After he saw Kaiba pull out the Millennium Rod dagger and nearly murder his own brother, who knows what he would do to Serenity. Joey had to do it. He had to tell Serenity to break up with the richest, most handsome guy in the city.  
  
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Kaiba didn't bother to taunt the maids, although he would have liked to. Instead, he headed into his bedroom, making sure that he had closed the door behind him. It was a little bit dark, but Kaiba didn't mind. The dark was good...it was soothing. He collapsed on his blue, silk bed and his mind immediately flipped to Serenity. ***Lay me down slow and easy  
  
Cause there ain't nothin' I can do  
  
I hope and pray my faith won't leave me  
  
When it comes down to me and you***  
  
She was sacred to him now. Who would have thought that the great Seto Kaiba would fall in love so quickly. Would he be able to hold onto her forever? Or would he mess everything up. It was all a matter of fate...all a matter of destiny.  
  
***Try a little Tenderness  
  
I die a little  
  
For a long lost sweet caress***  
  
Yes, Kaiba always seemed to mess up anything that had something to do with caring. He messed up with Mokuba many times...especially when Gozaburo was in control. What would be any different about Serenity? He had hoped to "have a little fun" last night...but that wasn't so. Now that he thought back to that moment, he mentally slapped himself. What the hell had he been thinking?!  
  
***You lyin' next to me  
  
fulfilled some destiny  
  
I wanna cry  
  
But I breathe a sigh***  
  
He had to loosen up around the sweet, innocent girl. Kaiba knew better than to harm young children...and Serenity was, technically, a child. If he had followed through with his intentions, he would have been sitting in a jail right now. He needed to treat Serenity like Mokuba...he needed to forget about his guy urges and be a good boyfriend for Serenity Wheeler.  
  
***Just a little bit of letting go  
  
I don't want you to know  
  
I wanna cry  
  
But I breath a sigh***  
  
Kaiba pulled himself off the bed. This dating stuff was proving to be too much for the young CEO. He has handled worse, right? Or was love the toughest emotion of all?  
  
***Overflow of emotion  
  
And a hurt that'll never heal  
  
If you close the door forever  
  
The fate of pain is sealed***  
  
He needed someone happy in his life...and who better to have than Serenity? She was quiet, gentle, sweet, funny, nice...everything that Kaiba adored could be found in that one girl. She reminded him so much of his brother. Could his heart soften like Serenty's?  
  
***Try a little tenderness  
  
I die a little  
  
For a long lost sweet caress***  
  
He had aimlessly wandered over to his oak desk and took a seat on the finely carved chair. He placed his hand on the desktop to touch a notebook. Ah yes, he knew what it was. He had written a poem in it about Serenity. He had called it "Love is a Battlefield" and indeed, love was.  
  
***You lyin' next to me  
  
Fulfilled some destiny  
  
I wanna cry  
  
But I breathe a sigh  
  
Just a little bit of letting go  
  
I don't want you to know  
  
I wanna cry  
  
But I breathe a sigh***  
  
It was funny how loved worked. Opposites always came into couples. So strange. He and Serenity...yes, they were opposites. Serenity meant peace or quiet while Seto meant turmoil and confusion. He had actually liked Serenity ever since he had layed eyes on her in Battle City. Of course, there was no way that he was going to tell anyone! Now that he had confessed, she was finally his...forever, at least he hoped forever. He wouldn't leave her. He loved her.  
  
***I more than long for your affection  
  
(I want you day and night)  
  
I tell you no, that ain't so  
  
(I want you more than life)  
  
Not even gentle persuasion  
  
Is ever gonna let me go***  
  
He would have to change...become a whole new person. Or would he? Maybe Serenity liked him for who he was. Maybe she would hate him if he changed...but how would he know unless he asked? Decisions, decisions...maybe he would have her over again, but not alone. She seemed nervous alone with him. A party! That's it! Kaiba would have a party and invite Serenity and all of her friends. They could swim in the pool and what not. He just wanted to be with her.  
  
***You lyin' next to me  
  
Fulfilled some destiny  
  
I wanna cry  
  
But I breathe a sigh  
  
Just a little bit of letting go  
  
I don't want you to know  
  
I wanna cry  
  
But I breathe a sigh***  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Tristan had eventually invited the gang over to hear all about Serenity and her date with the young millionaire. After Joey had explained the experience, wide eyes were upon him.  
  
Te`a was looking upset, "How could Serenity do such a thing??? You're her brother Joey! A sibling is the closest friend that a kid can have! Betraying a brother is worse than betraying a friend! Her bond with you was strong Joey! When she broke that bond-"  
  
"ALRIGHT ALREADY!!!" Joey cut her off. He was royally ticked about the situation and didn't need to hear another one of Te`a's lame friendship speeches, "Man Te`a! I can't believe d at Kaiba saved you from d at crate during Battle City**!"  
  
Te`a was a bit upset and disturbed the blondes sudden outrage, but she knew that it was best to drop the subject and back off of the boy for now. The phone disturbed the lonesome silence. Tristan lazily hit the speaker-phone button for all to hear.  
  
"Taylor residence." Tristan was obviously in routine now.  
  
Kaiba knew that The gang was all there. He could hear them in the background when Tristan answered. In his most arrogant tone, Kaiba began his invite, "It's me, Seto Kaiba. I'm having a little...party at my house tomorrow at approximately 2pm. I was feeling rather nice and deciding to invite your little group."  
  
Yugi's eyes brightened. He LOVED parties! He raced over to the phone, "Yeah Kaiba, we'd love to go!" His voice was that of an excited child's.  
  
Kaiba chuckled, "Excellent. Oh yes, and be sure to bring Serenity...got that Joey?!" That last three words held a threatening tone as Seto Kaiba. Tristan hung up soon after.  
  
Yami Bakura had somehow managed to retain Joey from attacking the phone and had covered his mouth. When the vicious Yami freed the angry blonde, Joey began to rant and rave.  
  
Yugi's eyes pleaded with the tall boy, "Please Joey???"  
  
Joey Wheeler smirked, "Sure Yuge. Let's go to dat party." Yeah, gave in pretty easy, but it was a chance to get at Kaiba.  
  
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Was that long enough to make up for my absence? I hope so! Anyways, Rate and Review! 


	10. The Plan

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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YAY! I have returned from my VERY fun trip! I am here to post yet another chapter of my story. Sm-Candy, you know that I never leave something hanging like that! Of COURSE I'll work Noa into the plot! He will play a pretty important roll with the help of yet another familiar character from "Love is a Battlefield". Anyways, that will start in this chappie! Enjoy! By the way, there are hints at Joey/Mai.  
  
SORRY!: I didn't explain the crate thing! On episode 78. Kaiba saves Te`a by knocking out the dude with the button thing.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of it's characters. I only own the plot of this story.  
  
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Yugi jumped up in down in complete excitement, "We're going to a party! We're going to a party!!! Kaiba has a pool, right? I sure hope so! I wanna swim and eat and then swim some more!"  
  
The others giggled at the child-like boys happiness. Yugi was like the baby of the group when it came to parties or size, but when it cam to guts and teamwork, Yugi was the biggest of them all. He stood up for what was right. You could call him the 'leader of the little people'.  
  
Joey just watched his friend bounce in glee. He too was a little excited. Seto Kaiba was mega-rich and was bound to have a huge pool, not to mention some great chow to go along with it. Maybe Joey would take Mai. Joey would drool if he ever saw her in a bikini. Yeah, he'd DEFINITELY invite Mai to Kaiba's little get together.  
  
Now that he thought about it, he was supposed to bring Serenity. She would be wearing a little bikini to the pool...in front of Kaiba! There was no way that Joey would let them go off on their own again. Not while he was around! He thought about getting Serenity a one-piece to wear instead...but it would probably embarrass her.  
  
Tristan was still pretty ticked. Kaiba had taken what should have been his! Of course, there was always Miho...but she liked Bakura! Most of the girls at Domino high liked Bakura. He could have any of them that he wanted. Bakura was cute, heck, even Tristan liked the bishounen. Maybe he didn't NEED Serenity or Miho. Maybe all of this was a sign to tell Tristan that he was supposed to love men. Hey, since men like Bakura were around, who needed women!  
  
The doorbell rang, interrupting both boys thoughts about the recent events. Since Tristan didn't even attempt to answer his own door, Te`a jumped up and opened it. It was Mai. She had brought Serenity with her. Joey was a bit surprised.  
  
"Hey Mai. How did ya know I was here? I neva told ya I was gonna be goin ova ta Tristan's house, did I?" Joey scratched his head in utter confusion.  
  
Mai chuckled, "No, but considering how much you two knuckle-heads hang out, I just assumed I'd find you here." She winked and then peered into Tristan's living room. The others were curiously staring at the blonde woman at the door, "Well, what do ya know? The whole gang is here!" Mai happily left Serenity's side and ran to join the others.  
  
Serenity just watched as Mai took of. She couldn't look at her brother, not now...Not after she had lied to him. It was a sin in her mind. She felt a gentle hand rest on her shoulder.  
  
"Ya know," Joey kept his voice at a whisper as the others carried on in gleeful conversation, "I can kinda undastand why ya would wanna stay da night wit moneybags-I mean Kaiba. Ya like him and I know dat there isn't anything dat I can do about it. I just hope that yer mature enough ta make da right choices...for yer sake." Serenity turned to her brother as a single, silver tear slid down his cheek. He quietly left the Taylor household.  
  
Mai was caught up in a shopping conversation, but she noticed the blonde teen leave, tears in his eyes, "Hey guys? I've gotta go. I have things that I need to take care of."  
  
She marched out once everyone had said their goodbyes. Yeah, she had things to take care of alright. Those things included a certain blonde bishounen. Of course, she'd have to find Joey in order to talk to him. As she sat inside her blue convertible, she contemplated where Joey would go.  
  
Mai started the engine and backed out of the driveway, "Now let's see...if I'm going to find Joey, I'm gonna have to think like him." She rode down the street, "How am I supposed to STOP thinking?!?!" She laughed at the thought of Joey's stupidity. She never admitted it, but she always found it to be...cute.  
  
Mai Valentine shook away the silly thought and headed toward the Wheeler residence.  
  
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Back at the Taylor's, the others had finally realized Joey had left. Serenity convinced the others not to follow him. Joey needed some time and some space to himself for awhile. The other reluctantly agreed to it, and quickly returned to talking about the upcoming party at the Kaiba Mansion.  
  
Serenity didn't join in. She sat in a small chair by a lonesome window, away from everyone else. She had wronged her brother...betrayed his trust in her. Everything was going downhill. Ever since she and Kaiba had started going out...  
  
Serenity shook the thought from her head. She wasn't going to allow herself to blame all of this on Seto Kaiba. This was her fault. Kaiba had given her the choice to go home, but she chose to lie to her brother and stay with the man she loved. Love hurt sometimes, and to think that this was only the beginning...at least she hoped that the relationship was going to last forever.  
  
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The next morning at the Kaiba Mansion, maids, butlers, cooks, and professional decorators were running through every hall of th building making sure that every floor was mopped, every rug and bit of carpet was cleaned and vacuumed, all silver was polished, every window was shining, and everything was in it's proper place.  
  
Seto Kaiba lugged himself down the stairs for his breakfast it was only 10:25AM after all. He was still in his adorable, blue, silky pajamas. They matched the sheets on his bed. He didn't wear slippers, they had always looked a bit odd on him. So Kaiba hobbled on down the steps with bare feet.  
  
It was obvious that he hadn't fully awaken. His cerulean eyes were only half-way opened and his hair was a complete disaster. Little bits of brown fluff jutted out from many spots on his head. He was nearly knocked over when an eager Mokuba raced down passed him to get his already-finished breakfast.  
  
The elder Kaiba arrived to find his raven-haired brother waiting for him. Mokuba had his eyes opened wide, a wild grin stretched across his face. His hair was it's normal mess and his arms were rested on either side a an un-touched plate of food. For breakfast, they had bacon, eggs, buttered toast, and hash browns, ALL cooked to perfection.  
  
As Kaiba took a seat and smiled at his only family, Mokuba immediately dug in. As Kaiba picked up one slice of bacon, Mokuba burped to signal that he had finished devouring his entire meal. The younger Kaiba chugged down his glass of milk and hopped from his seat. The brunette laughed a little and commenced to down his full plate.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Noa's blue eyes shined as he stared at the intruder. He had been minding his own business, looking out the window that faced the back yard of the Kaiba Mansion, when a certain ghost-child barged in. Little Seto had an adorable smile paste across his gentle face that taunted Noa. Both looked to be of the same age and height.  
  
Noa glared at the other boy, "What are you doing in MY room? Do you not understand the words "keep out"?"  
  
Little Seto giggled and smirked, "Oh come on Noa, you can't seriously want to be all alone. Listen, Seto Kaiba has some pretty dirty thoughts on mind."  
  
Noa smiled. He couldn't pass the thought of the rich know-it-all being a sick pervert. Obviously the younger Seto was going somewhere with this claim, so he sat on his bed and prepared for a plan.  
  
Little Seto paced the room, "We're both ghosts and that is why I figured that we could work together. With our wonderful skills we can watch over Seto and Serenity when the party begins at exactly 2pm this very day. Are you with me?" He looked over at Noa like an army Sargent.  
  
Noa bounced and giggled with excitement. He never liked his step brother anyways. It was going to be too much fun ruining his plans! "Alright!" Noa agreed, "You and I will take out your older self!"  
  
Little Seto's eyes grew wide, "We aren't going to KILL him!!!"  
  
Noa laughed nervously, "No, heh heh, of course not..."  
  
Both boys shook hands. Little Seto pulled a piece of paper out from his back pocket, "Since I'm actually a part of Seto Kaiba, I know each and every thought that runs through his mind! I know every move he plans to make and I have ways to counter each one written on this paper! You ready for this?"  
  
They unfolded the paper and Little Seto began an explanation of each note that he had made.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kaiba had finished breakfast and gotten dressed. He checked on Kaiba Corporation stocks and updated the website. He made a phone call to the executive office building to let them know that he wasn't going to be there that day.  
  
"Alright," Kaiba began, "Everything is taken care of. The company is under control, the house is spotless, the cooks are standing by, and it is 2 O'clock. Now all I need to do is wait.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Noa smirked evilly as the clock struck 2pm, "Let the games begin..."  
  
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Well? What did ya think of that? Told you that Noa had a place in my story! lol! Anyways, rate and review! I will get the next chapter up ASAP! 


	11. The Party Begins

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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Alright peeps. I was cleaning the house like mad for my grandma's visit. Sorry! I know that I haven't been updating as quickly, but at least it doesn't take me a month like some authors! Anyways, you're welcome Sm- candy, and yes, there will be plenty of humor! *hands Mokuba plushies to all reviewers* Enjoy!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of it's characters. I only own the plot of this story.  
  
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A large table located in the dining hall of the Kaiba mansion has a large white cloth spread over it. Cluttering it's top were bowls of many shapes and sizes filled with various chips and dips. Bottled of soda were lined up at one end of the table along with glass cups and plates. At the other end, fresh brownies and cupcakes filled 3 large pans, there sweet scents filling the room.  
  
Mokuba was also inviting friends, so Kaiba had made sure that there was enough food to feed a city. The smaller Kaiba slid down the railing on the stairs and ran to hug his older brother. His eyes looked like glass as he eyed the perfect little desserts.  
  
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The gang piled into two cars: Mai's and Tristan's (is Tristan smart enough to drive a car?) And headed for the big bash at the mall-sized mansion.  
  
As they arrived, they slowly got out of the cars and crept up to the large, iron gates. The two guards eyed them behind their dark sunglasses and stepped aside as the gate swung open to permit entrance.  
  
The gang marveled at the beautiful landscaping and the plentiful flowers. They awed at the fine brick walkway upon which they stepped. But most of all, the gasped in utter thrill at the massive house that loomed before their very eyes.  
  
They all stood at the bottom of the steps that lead to enormous oak doors. None were brave enough to ring the doorbell as a signal of their arrival. They knew how Kaiba was...but being in this atmosphere made them feel uneasy like they didn't belong. How would they confront the millionaire???  
  
Their answer came. A large group of about 15 kids rushed past them and opened the doors without a single knock. They simply ran inside the finely decorated home. Joey ran up to hold the door as his sister and friends slowly made their way inside.  
  
The place was shimmering! The gang was dazzled by the interior appearance of the teens home. Everything was perfect. No pictures were crooked, no silver was tarnished, and no window was smudged.  
  
As the group took in the scenery, a certain tall brunette came up to them, "Ah, I'm so glad that you came." The smile on his face was clearly fake as his eyes were focused on the girl that he adored.  
  
Joey stepped in front of his sister to evade the attack of the sapphire eyes, "Well Kaiba, ain't ya gonna give us da grand tour?"  
  
Seto Kaiba shot Joey his famous death glare, "Of course." He turned to the stairs and began the climb up. The others followed, marveling at the view as they went. They made sure to keep quiet, still feeling as though they didn't belong...Though that feeling changed when they reached the top.  
  
A horrid smell lingered in the air*, though one could tell that maids had tried to mask the filthy scent with bottles of air freshener. The smell got worse as they neared a certain door to the right of them. Mai noticed a name plate on the door and when the others came to a halt in front of it, she looked more closely. Before she was able to decipher the lettering, a large hand covered it.  
  
Kaiba laughed nervously, "No need to be nosey now. Sorry about that smell. I honestly don't know what it could possibly be." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a worried look spreading across Serenity's features. She knew very well who was in that room. It was the ghost of Noa, Seto Kaiba's step brother.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Little Seto lay on a small cushy bed by the window. His feet and leg were stuck up in the air and his hands were clasped together over his stomach. His tilted his head side to side as he quietly whistled a small tune.  
  
They were going to have to wait until the party actually began until they made their first move.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Tristan smirked, "Hey kaiba I think you got a skunk in that room." Kaiba sort of laughed at the thought that it was actually Noa. Tristan didn't notice, "Come on, it can't be bad or anything. Let's all just go in and take a look."  
  
Kaiba's eyes widened, "No way Tristan."  
  
Tristan didn't like 'No' for an answer. He took a step back and then ran forward, ramming his body into Kaiba's. The millionaire was taken by surprise and got knocked over, giving Joey the chance to read the name.  
  
Noa. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Noa had been listening to Little Seto whistle and was getting annoyed, "Don't you know any other songs?" He whispered in a harsh tome.  
  
Little Seto stopped mid-whistle, "Ummm......Nope." He then continued where he had left off.  
  
Angrily, Noa leaped from his place at the window and landed on the bed. In an effort to protect his face from Noa, Little Seto rolled over so he was on his hands and knees. Noa was almost laying on top of the other boy, trying to pound his head.  
  
The door flew open as the gang came in. Boy was it a site!  
  
No one spoke. Noa and Little Seto had ceased their little fight when they realized that they had been caught in this awkward position. Both slowly stood up. No one moved except the two young spirits. They carefully made their way toward the door, past the audience they had gained, and out into the hallway. The sunlight that poured through the window caused both boys to fade away as if they had just melted into the air.  
  
As though nothing had happened, Kaiba pushed all of them out of them room, shut the door, and continued to show off every room in his home.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You little twit!" Little Seto wasn't very pleased.  
  
Both boys had made their way to Kaiba's underground control room (the room that Kaiba was talking to the computer in when he had to sneak into his own house). It was nice and dark there.  
  
"You have to admit," Noa smiled and laughed a bit, "That WAS pretty funny!"  
  
Little Seto rolled his eyes. Of course, it must have looked very odd from the view of Kaiba, Yugi, and the others. No matter. Their plans weren't ruined.  
  
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"And that is the grand tour of my house." Kaiba sighed heavily as he finished up. It was 2:20 and they had just finished. Now it was party time! The little kids were outside in the enormous swimming pool and the food bowls were most likely being re-filled by the maids. The younger group had already gotten to it and chances are, they wiped out the chips and desert.  
  
When they reached the bottom floor where they could see the dinning room table, it looked like a tornado had hit! There were bowls and crushed chips covering the floor, soda was spilled on the fine tabled cloth, soda cans lay crushed on the table and in chairs, and not a crumb of brownie was left in the pan. Looking closer to inspect the damage, Serenity saw that a small platter of vegetables and dip was left completely untouched. Seto Kaiba delicately placed two slender fingers in his mouth and did a piercing whistle. While Yugi and friends covered their ears, a herd of maids rushed in (lol@herd). Kaiba just casually looked on as the room was cleaned up bit by bit and every food tray and bowl was re-filled.  
  
Since the others were occupied with watching the clean-up, Tristan edged his way over to Bakura and draped his right arm around Bakura's neck. Bakura looked up at the taller boy and they shared a quick, passionate kiss**. Just as they broke lips, the maids had scurried away and Joey pounced on the food.  
  
They made quick meals of the chips and veggies. The soda's weren't gone nearly as fast, but the desert's were all downed in a heartbeat.  
  
Kaiba smiled. Serenity was very neat about how she ate. She had carefully folded a napkin and placed it in her lap. Joey, who had noticed the millionaire dreamily eyeballing his sister, was about to say something when the loud beat of some kind of rap blared. They all stopped eating and rushed to the nearest window.  
  
Mokuba's group had cranked the volume on the stereo and were having a good time out in the pool.  
  
Serenity tugged on Kaiba's sleeve, "Can we go swimming now? We didn't eat much."  
  
The tall brunette looked over at the table. Once again, everything was gone. They had actually eaten quite a bit, but once he looked into Serenity's big brown eyes, he just couldn't say no.  
  
Kaiba kissed her soft forehead, "That's what we are going to do right now." He faced the others, "Alright everyone, pick a room and get your bathing suits or swimming trunks on!" Before long, it was a race to get changed first.  
  
Joey emerged from a room dressed in green trunks, with a victorious look on his face, but Tristan was already running back downstairs followed by Bakura. The two were holding hands which shocked Joey, "What's with them?" He asked himself but immediately forgot about it when Seto Kaiba ran passed him carrying Serenity. Joey bounded after them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
In the backyard, a secret hatch opened. Two young spirits emerged and immediately faded into the light.  
  
......Invisible.  
  
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*It's been said that evil spirits leave a REALLY bad smell in the air...kinda like rotten eggs.  
  
**I'm having this idea to possibly make a Bakura/Tristan spinoff. A friend of mine on here has a really cool Bakura/Tristan story called "Bad Decisions." You should check it out! Tell me what you think of this idea in your review!  
  
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Well? What do ya think of it so far? Rate and review! 


	12. Games and Suspicion

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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I know, I take awhile to make updates...but it adds to the suspense right? lol! There I go again, making up excuses! To be honest, I've been up to a lot of things...like maintaining a website...I've actually been thinking about making a Serenity/Seto site...does that sound like a good idea? My dad has also incouraged me to write a REAL book (I printed out this fic and he was like, if you can write that much, you should write a book!) So yeah, I have begun my fiction story...By the way, I won't make a Tristan/Bakura fic...too many people against Shounen Ai...teehee! Actually, to be honest, I've already started one a long time ago that people are begging for me to finish! Sorry! Oh well...on with the story!!!  
  
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Seto Kaiba led the others out the back door. Music blared and plastic cups lay scattered on the fine wood deck. 20 teens splashed around in the Olympic-sized pool, making more noise than the stereo was capable of. Games of Marco Polo and pool basketball were in play. Those who weren't in on the action were bust talking in groups or swimming laps.  
  
As the older teens approached (Seto and the others) everything seemed to stop. All eyes focused on the newly-arriving group. Seto carefully made his way around to a long side of the pool. Cautiously, he dipped the tip of his right foot in to test the temperature. He removed his foot from the water, made his way back over to his group, and smiled.  
  
"Alright, it feels like bath water...im not sure whether it's from the sun or the amount of urine in it, but you all can jump on in."  
  
Joey quickly darted off and dove right in. Tristan immediately followed. The bobbed around and attacked each other in the water, dodging this way and that to escape the grasp of one another. As the two young adults continued their water fight, Te`a and Yugi also jumped in...but in a more shallow area of the pool for Yugi's sake. Bakura on the other hand, being the gentle boy he was, made his way over to a set of stairs leading into the pool.  
  
Kaiba's mind screamed in utter satisfaction. Joey was too busy with Tristan to pay attention to much else, Te`a and Yugi were busy with each other, and Bakura couldn't do anything anyways! Simply perfect, just as Seto had planned. Now for step two. He had to get Serenity to go with him inside the house. Being the genius that he was, it would be a piece of cake! He had everything planned out...worked out the bugs and ran over it again and again in his mine. This plan was surefire! Nothing could screw it up!  
  
As Serenity readied to jump in and join her brother in the fight against Tristan, Seto grabbed her small shoulder. Startled she turned around and swung her hand to slap whoever it was. Seto snatched her tiny hand out of the air before it landed upon his cheek and she giggled and blushed.  
  
"Sorry Seto..." She blushed an even darker scarlet, "You startled me."  
  
The tall brunette just smiled, "Nah, don't worry about it. I shouldn't have grabbed you so suddenly. I just need a favor real quick."  
  
Serenity's eyes lit up, "Yeah? What is it?"  
  
Seto Kaiba looked cool and calm as his plan unfolded, "I have some more snacks inside that I need to bring out here and all of the maids are busy, so I'm stuck doing it. There's quite a bit of stuff so I'm going to need some help..."  
  
A look of worry fell over Serenity's features. Going into Seto's house alone again...she remembered what Seto had tried to do when she stayed the night. Should she trust him? Probably not...easy, she could just get Joey to do it!  
  
"Sure," Serenity's face beamed, "Just let me go get Joey and he can h-"  
  
"NO!" Seto interrupted causing Serenity to jump, "I mean...don't bother your brother. He's having fun. The snacks aren't very heavy."  
  
"Yeah...okay..." Reluctantly, Serenity allowed Seto to drape his arm around her and lead her inside the Kaiba Mansion. Everyone else was too caught up in fun to notice that the two had gone missing.  
  
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Little Seto and Noa followed the two inside, still unseen. They held in giggles at what they were going to do. Seto Kaiba might not like it too much, but little Seto and Noa were going to have the time of their...uh...after-lives.  
  
As Seto brought Serenity to the kitchen, he faced her and pulled her closer to him, "Serenity, I love you so much...I want to be with you forever..." His voice held great sincerity as he looked into Serenity's large, chocolate eyes.  
  
Little Seto snuck up behind the millionaire and commenced to grab the taller boys butt and move away. Seto Kaiba's eyes went wide but then narrowed into a more feisty look, "Oh...you like that huh?" Serenity raised an eyebrow. She had no clue what he was talking about! With no idea what he was getting himself into, Seto placed his hand on Serenity's rear...and got slapped hard.  
  
"Serenity jumped back, "WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM?!?!?! SOME KIND OF TOY?!?!?!"  
  
Seto just stood there, in shock, with his hand over his left cheek. His mind was shrouded in utter confusion, "I don't get it...you did it to me...but I can't do it to you?"  
  
Serenity looked around like a paranoid child, "I didn't do that to you..." Both raised an eyebrow and proceeded to move their eyes this way and that, looking for an explanation as to what just happened. Finding nothing, Serenity brought her mind back to why they had gone inside in the first place.  
  
"Um Seto?" She began, still a bit uneasy, "Where are the snacks?" As she spoke, she dug her toes into the carpet.  
  
Sweat beaded up on Seto's forehead. He needed to act fast. Surely they had SOME sort of food left! He quickly waved his hand to signal for his girlfriend to follow. He lead her around to another part of the kitchen where cabinets lined the walls. There just HAD to be chips in there! Impatiently, he dug around in each one, pulling out bag after bag of chips, and getting a bowl or two for the dip.  
  
He silently cursed to himself. His little plan had been demolished by someone's evil-minded prank! Now he was stuck carrying a boat-load of food for the little moochers in his pool. He sighed and stood up. Both of them had their arms full as they made their way out of the kitchen.  
  
A passing maid stopped and tilted her head curiously, "Mr. Kaiba? Why are you carrying all of that? Isn't that OUR job? We weren't busy or anything, you could have just asked us to do it for you..."  
  
Seto nearly dropped the load that he carried. Serenity spun on her feet and glared at him suspiciously. Seto's eyes opened wide, "Don't lie to me! I know that you were VERY busy!"  
  
The maid shook her head, "No, we haven't been busy since we cleaned up the mess in the dinner hall."  
  
Seto became furious, "YOU WERE BUSY!!! GOT IT?!?!?!"  
  
Te maid hopped back in terror, "Y-yes sir!" She hurried off before another word could be said. As the clatter of her high-heels faded away, the tapping of Serenity's foot could be heard.  
  
Seto gave her a surprisingly innocent look as he waited for her to turn out questions.  
  
Serenity put her load down and Seto copied, "Alright Seto, I know that you're up to something and I think that it would be in your best interest to tell me exactly what! That maid was CLEARLY not busy, and it is pretty obvious that your intentions were not to help you carry things outside! Am I right? I mean, don't even BEGIN to think that I didn't see your intentions when I stayed the night with you! It's all so clear now! You're just one sick pervert!!! Am I right?!?!"  
  
All the while, Seto got more and more nervous. Tears stung the backs of his eyes. He'd been found out...or had he? All he had to do was act cute and calm and deny every accusation. Simple.  
  
"Serenity, sweety..." Seto Kaiba began his 'innocense' act, "You should know by now that my intentions are nothing but good, and that I wouldn't even DREAM of doing anything that you would be against! You have to understand that I am MUCH more sophisticated than your average guy! I want nothing more than to hug or kiss every now and then. I have nothing more on my mind! As for when you slept over, I just wanted to wake up with you by my side...made me feel like you were my wife."  
  
It was bought. Serenity's eyes welled up with tears, "Really? Oh Seto, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to get all suspicious like that! I wanna be with you forever too!" She quickly wrapped her arms around them and gently swayed side to side as she buried her face in the brunettes chest. The millionaire unleashed an unseen smirk of satisfaction as another brilliant idea came to mind.  
  
"I have an idea!" Seto shrieked with an unusual excitement, "Let's go get my camera and we can take pictures during our little get-together and then we can make an abulm! Does that sound fun?"  
  
Serenity jumped back and did a little hop as she giggled, "That would be beyond awesome!"  
  
"Alright," Seto pasted an adorable smile on his face as he voiced his next words, "It's in my room, you can come with me and help me find it." As he led the way, Serenity followed close behind. She skipped along joyously, but little did she know of Seto Kaiba's true intentions.  
  
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Two people stood up from hiding behind the kitchen counter. Two giggling children to be exact.  
  
Noa raised his video camera, "This is gonna be the best prank ever! I can't wait to see the look on Joey Wheeler's face when he sees THIS!!"  
  
Little Seto, who had also been rolling with laughter, ceased at once, "Wait a second...How are we gonna get Joey to watch it? It's not like we can just lay the tape on a table with a big note that says 'WATCH ME'."  
  
Noa scratched his head..."well, we were both raised by Gozaburo Kaiba and if there's one thing he taught very well, it would have to be game techniques...somehow, we can tie the two together to come up with the ultimate plan..."  
  
Little Seto looked to the floor as though he were searching for an idea, "We need to do something that Joey wouldn't be able to ignore...something that makes him take a good look at the tape...something that didn't make ghostly forces look responsible..."  
  
Both poltergeists contemplated the many idea's that past through their minds..."I GOT IT!" Little Seto screamed aloud. He pulled a very startled Noa over to him and in two seconds, told him the whole idea.  
  
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Out in the pool, Joey and Tristan had stopped there little wrestling match after 10 minutes without a winner.  
  
Joey sat up on the edge of the pool and looked around, "Ahhhh....dis is great. A nice relaxing day by da pool...here wit Yugi, Tristan, Te`a, Bakura and...SERENITY!!!!" Joey shot up to his feet and the others quickly faced him after hearing the shout, "My sista is gone! GRR...I'M GONNA KILL YOU KAIBA!!!!!!!!" As he began to stomp off toward the house to confront the taller boy, an object came from nowhere and slammed into the blondes skull, causing him to come crashing back into the pool.  
  
As Joey came back to the surface, he placed a hand over the wounded area, "What da heck was dat???"  
  
Tristan, who had made his way out of the pool to help Joey take on Kaiba, was now inspecting the projectile, "Woah...you guys aren't gonna believe this, but it's a tape!"  
  
The others came over to them. Mokuba and the others went back to their games. Joey ran to join Tristan, "No way...it IS a video tape! Whadya think's on it? Ya think dat we should watch it?"  
  
Yugi put his hand on his chin to think, "Well, I'm sure that Kaiba wouldn't mind..."  
  
Joey's face turned beet-red, "Hold up Yuge...I gotta deal wit moneybags first!!! Come on Tristan! Let's kick some rich-guy butt!"  
  
The two boys marched off looking all high-and-mighty and the others shook their heads.  
  
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Little Seto and Noa banged there transparent heads against the side of the house. Their plan had gone wrong. Joey was supposed to watch it BEFORE taking on the big guy! It was all Yugi's fault!  
  
Little Seto picked up the neglected tape, "Should we throw it at him again? You've got to admit, it WAS pretty funny." After a moment of silence between the two, Little Seto's sapphire eyes sparkled, "Noa, I've got an idea that is destined to work! Think, we're ghosts, right?" Noa nodded. "And we can get into places unseen, right?" Noa sighed, but nodded again. "And we can touch things, right?"  
  
Noa was getting impatient, "YES SETO!!! WE CAN DO ALL OF THAT!!!! WOULD YOU JUST GET TO THE FREAKIN POINT ALREADY?!?!?!"  
  
Little Seto waved a finger, "Calm down, this plan is sure to work! Just think for a moment, what is something that THOUSANDS of people are likely to see?"  
  
Noa's eyes lit up as well, "I get it now! That is too cool! We're gonna nail 'em for sure this time!"  
  
Both boys secured their blackmail tape and scurried away. They were going to have to do some fast thinking for it too work, but that wasn't an issue for two child geniuses. Just what exactly was their plan to nail Seto Kaiba for toying with Joey's sister? Why, the answer is laying right before your very eyes. Could it be that you were not as smart as Noa and you couldn't figure it out? Well, DUH!!! Chances are, no one understood...so let me say it.  
  
The evening news.  
  
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WOOOHOOOO!!!! That was the LONGEST chapter that I have ever written! I hope that it makes up for my writers block that I suffered from, lol! Anyways, if you haven't already done so, please take a look at my other fanfictions (if you are against shounen ai -boy love- then DO NOT read "When You See The Light". All the others are safe lol! Um..they all kinda center around Kaiba cuz...HES MY FAVOURITE!) I hope that you like them! Anyways, don't forget to keep a lookout for the next chapter, and as always, rate and review!!! 


	13. Ancient Enemies

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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Holy hell! I haven't updated in like, a billion years! Heh heh...um...sorry? I've been up to a lot (hm...I say that every time) and I've had, like, MAJOR writers block (oi)! So yeah, I'm going to try to make this chapter REALLY long (that never works very well)...look at me! I'm criticizing myself! Well, before I start cussing myself out, thanks to those who continue to read this story and on with the Fic!  
  
Disclaimer: I do NOT own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters...the same goes for DBZ. I only own the plot of this story.  
  
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Joey stalked into the mansion with Tristan following not too far behind. Joey turned his head this way and that, sending stabbing glares in all directions.  
  
Nowhere.  
  
"UGH! Where is moneybags?!?!?! I bet good money dat he took her up ta his room!"  
  
Tristan's face lit up, "How MUCH money?"  
  
Joey rolled his eyes and backhanded his spike-haired friend, "Don't be such a moron Tristan...it's a sayin'"  
  
Tristan held the sore spot on his face as a look of understanding came over him, "Ohhhhhh....a sayin...." He slowly nodded his head. Of course, his expression soon turned to that of confusion, "Wait a minute! A sayin? Like the dudes on DBZ?"  
  
Joey growled furiously, "NO YOU DIPSHIT!!!! A 'SAYING'!!!! GEEZ!" He gave the brunette another wack to the face, "Now let's go!"  
  
Both boys returned to their journey to find Serenity. They were ready to search high and low for her...she meant a lot to both boys...  
  
Meanwhile...back with Kaiba and Serenity...  
  
Seto Kaiba stopped at his doorway and stepped aside, "Ladies first."  
  
Suspecting that her boyfriend was just being a gentleman, she smiled, nodded her head, and walked inside. Little did she know of the millionaire's true intentions. He knew that she would enter first, leaving him the opportunity to shut the door behind them...and lock it.  
  
Of course, the moment that the door closed, Serenity jumped and spun around, a look of terror spreading over her features. Her brown eyes look more like that of a frightened child than ever before...that's all it took. Kaiba saw his brother in Serenity's eyes...and that is what scared him the most. It was like anything he did to her, he did to his brother as well...how would he go along with his plan?  
  
"Well," Kaiba thought, "I could just not make eye contact with her. Yeah, that's what I'll do...but...that wouldn't be right...she's so young...I don't want to be the one to break her youth. I can't do this."  
  
Immediately, he unlocked the door and opened it. He felt much better in doing so as he saw Serenity relax.  
  
"So," Serenity began, "Where is that camera of yours?"  
  
Kaiba had forgotten, "Camera?" He thought for a moment as a feel of suspension drifted in the air, "Oh yeah! Heh heh, the camera! That's right!" He made his way over to his night stand and opened the draw.  
  
Serenity tried to see inside, but Kaiba whipped out his camera and slammed the draw shut quickly, "There's nothing in there worth seeing." He spoke casually, but the slight quiver in his voice was enough to tell Serenity it was a personal thing. Serenity let the 'secret drawer' leave her mind and focused on her boyfriends movements as he paced the room.  
  
"Um, Seto?" She questioned, "What are you doing?"  
  
Kaiba stopped mid-step, placing his uplifted foot back on the carpeted floor, and turned to his girlfriend. Sweat beaded up on his forehead and his hands were clenched in tight fists as his skin went pale.  
  
"Serenity," he nearly pleaded, "There's someone in my head...there is something wrong with me...get out Serenity! Get out now! Get help! Get Yugi!!!!" He dropped to his knees and placed his hands on either side of his head, letting of a bloodcurdling scream...the voice in his head persisted it's hypnotic taunts. In a dark voice much like his own, it chimed:  
  
'Is it not love that you now face? What is love Seto? What is it? Is it the smile you get when you see them? The happiness? No Seto...none of that. For it is the pleasure of it all! Try it Seto...just let me take over. I can show your sweetheart true love! Seto...your mind is weak! You cannot hold out forever...but my voice shall not give out. You are limited when I am limitless! Give in child! Need I make you my slave just as the thief has made the albino his? Give in Seto...give in...'  
  
Again and again it repeated in his mind...that voice that was so familiar yet so strange...so alive yet so cold and dark....whoever it was, he mentioned the yami of Bakura...and Yugi might be able to help! Was his own Millennium Rod responsible for this? Did Kaiba have a yami as well? Or was it just a dark conscience? No time for questions now! The voice in his head was getting louder and louder...stronger and stronger....until................. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Serenity had run down the stairs, her long hair flowing behind her in the breeze she had created. She jumped from the second to last stair and cut the corner...bumping into Tristan and Joey.  
  
Stunned, Joey jumped back, knocking Tristan, who quickly dropped to the floor in a fetal position, begging for mercy...that is, until he realized that it wasn't Seto Kaiba coming down those stairs.  
  
Tristan stood, "What's the rush Serenity?"  
  
Joey shook away the shock, "Yeah sis! What's up? Did dat rich boy mess wit you?!?! I'll kill him!!" He began to march up the stairs, but Serenity frantically grabbed his wrist.  
  
"NO JOEY!!!" Her eyes were a pleading gaze...Joey knew that now something was definately wrong, "BIGBROTHERWEHAVETOHELPHIMHEISTURNINGALLPALEANDHETOLDMETORUNAWAYANDHEWASSCRE AMINGANDSWEATINGANDIMJUSTSOSCAREDBIGBROTHERWEHAVETOGETYUGINOW!!!"  
  
She panted heavily as Joey's expression remained worried, "Sis, I have no clue what you just said...listen, you just need to take a few breaths and calmly and slowly tell me what's wrong."  
  
Serenity shook with worry and fear as she remembered the boy in need of help upstairs, "I said," she began, "We have to help him...he is turning pale and he told me to run away...he was screaming and sweating...im scared...we have to get Yugi...NOW!!!" At the last word, she bolted off toward the pool, leaving behind a very puzzled Joey.  
  
Letting curiosity get the best of him, he took off up the stairs...Tristan followed.  
  
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Serenity's mind raced, her heart pounded, and she blindly ran through the mansion, arms flailing about in any direction. She most likely looked ridiculous...it's not time to think about that kind of stuff! Her mind regained it's focus on Kaiba. She had to get help for her dear love, and she had to get it now.  
  
She literally burst through the doors that led outside. She screamed at the top of her lungs the name of the boy that Seto Kaiba so greatly needed, "YUGI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
The sudden outburst from the young lady nearly gave the swimmers a heart attack! Even the gentle Bakura shot out of the pool and onto a nearby lounge chair (wouldn't that be so cute???)!  
  
Yugi also jumped out of the pool and ran to meet up with Serenity. The others followed with caution.  
  
Guessing that it had something to do with the fight between Joey and Kaiba, Yami Yugi emerged from the Millennium Puzzle. As he stood before Serenity, he gazed into her eyes, seeing her fear.  
  
As he opened his mouth to speak, Serenity interrupted him, "Yugi, there is something wrong with Seto and he wanted me to get you!"  
  
Yami Yugi folded his arms, "Explain."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Joey peeked his head into the millionaires oversized bedroom like a little boy looking in the living room on Christmas eve night. What he saw stunned him.  
  
Standing before the blonde, looking directly into his eyes was Seto Kaiba himself...or was it? There was something different...something seemed out of place. That's when Joey saw it.  
  
Neatly placed between Seto Kaiba's two sapphire eyes was a glowing emblem...the eye that Joey remembered from Yami Mariks forehead...there was no doubt in Joeys mind that Seto Kaiba was now under the control of a mystic Millennium item. As he tried to remain calm, Kaiba advanced towards him slowly...so slow that Joey could easily just walk away and not get caught.  
  
If he could walk away.  
  
His legs felt like lead and were impossible to move. It was almost as if he were an ice sculpture, frozen in place as he was judged. Kaiba was edging closer and as he did, the Millennium Rod was revealed. It was all clear now. The same Millennium item that had controlled the mind of Marik Ishtar had tried to overcome the young millionaire before, and alas he had now succeeded.  
  
Fully aware of the horrid danger he was in, Joey Wheelers mind went spiraling into panic mode. His body shook with a chill of utter fear. He wanted to run...he couldn't. His next option was to scream. Surely someone would hear. His mouth shot open to its full size and he tried to let out a bloodcurdling cry for help...but all that came was dry air and a slight whimper.  
  
Three feet away.  
  
Time was running out. 'Move Joey! Come on legs!' He repeated again and again in his mind...when it came to him. His luck had run out. Seto Kaiba pulled the dagger from the bottom half of the rod and snickered. Joey gently closed his eyes and awaited the end. The footsteps rang in the blondes ears as thoughts of family and friends clouded his mind.  
  
They stopped.  
  
The footsteps had come to an abrupt halt. Assuming that Kaiba had reached his prey, Joey took a rigid breath...and nothing happened. Joey stood still for what seemed to him like forever. 'Why hasn't he got me yet? What's he waitin' for?' He wondered....and got the courage to open his eyes.  
  
...and come face to face with Seto Kaiba. Sapphire orbs met chocolate ones....Evil met fear...the predator had its prey...what was next?  
  
He raised the dagger high above his head while laughing psychotically, "Prepare to meet with a brutal end!" His voice held a shrill yet deep sound...both at once almost as though there were too people speaking at once. His grip tightened on the rod.  
  
"SETO!!! IF YOU WANT TO MESS WITH MY FRIENDS, YOU'LL HAVE TO GET THROUGH ME!!!"  
  
Seto Kaiba gasped and faced the unknown voice.  
  
Joey's joints seemed to loosen...it was Yugi's voice. He was safe! Yugi was always there when the going got tough...especially the pharaoh...and when it came to Millennium magic, Yami Yugi was the man for the job!  
  
Yami Yugi stood tall (um, well, yeah he's kinda short, not much taller than the normal Yugi...but you know what I mean!) In the doorway, his fists clenched tightly like he was ready for a fight...but deep down, The Pharaoh was confused. Confused and very afraid. He knew what the Millennium Rod was capable of...at least he had a pretty good idea of its immense power. Of course, he also knew that fighting alone against Seto Kaiba under its control would be foolish. He would need help.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	14. The Mind of Seto Kaiba

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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um...see the explanation at the VERY bottom of the page...  
  
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DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of it's characters...I only own the plot of this story.  
  
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Seto Kaiba's mind raced. What was happening? It was like watching everything from a window. He was no longer in control of his own body! He watched on as Yami Yugi emerged from the puzzle, gaining control of little Yugi Motou (I don't know the English spelling of his last name so I used the Japanese one).  
  
Yami Yugi pointed a stern finger at Seto Kaiba, "Kaiba, I suggest that you put that rod down now or you shall suffer severe consequences!" His voice dripped with a cold anger.  
  
Trapped inside his own mind, seto screamed. He tried to call out to Yami Yugi, to tell him that he wasn't in control...but to no avail. His hope sank and he fell to the...floor? Wait...he was in a room. In fact, as he looked around, he noticed pictured of his brother and even his parents. He saw duel disks and even Duel Monsters cards!  
  
He brought himself back to his feet, "Woah...where am I?" He turned his head this way and that, taking in his new surroundings, "It's like a room inside my head! Am I going insane? Or maybe...maybe what Yugi said about the Millennium items is true...no. I can't believe that rubbish. Magic is just a bunch of nonsense..." His sapphire eyes wandered about the walls and furniture...until they found a door. "Hmm...maybe this is the way to my control..." He placed a tense hand on the doorknob and cooly turned it, revealing a dark hallway...  
  
To find another door marked with the Eye of Anubis*......  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The Seto that was in control faced the former Pharaoh, his trademarked smirk still neatly pasted across his face, his features keeps a chilling calmness, "Ahhh...Pharaoh...so good to see you again...and after so long...my memory has long been sealed in the mind of this boy..." He looked down at the body he now controlled and laughed. Abruptly, his deep blue eyes shot open and he collapsed to the floor in silence.  
  
With eyes wide in utter shock, both Yami Yugi and Joey ran to the millionaires side to find him unconscious. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Back in the mind of Seto Kaiba, the brunette studied the door with the strange marking. Did he dare to open it? What could possibly be on the other side? The Egyptian marking frightened him...what is Yugi was right? What if there was an ancient magic sealed within the Millennium Items and even his own mind? There was only one way to be certain. He had to go in...he had to know the truth.  
  
It opened for him.  
  
Seto could feel his heart pound heavily as his eyes snapped closed on instinct. He felt like a sitting duck out in the middle of a pond waiting for any hunter to come along and take his life.  
  
"No," He told himself, "I will not allow some silly suspicion get to me. I am Seto Kaiba. I fear NOTHING!!" With that, his eyes shot open to find a dark room with someone standing not to far away. He took in a few rigid breaths as he approached the figure, trying to look as cool and calm as possible.  
  
The person turned toward him...and began to run after him! Surprised and scared half to death, Kaiba turned around and hauled ass back toward the door! Unfortunately, his delayed reaction cost him the distance advantage and a strong hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled hard, sending everyone's favorite millionaire (you know you love him) sprawling to the floor face down.  
  
Before he had the chance to roll over, he was brutally kicked in the side, "Get up fool!" A dark voice filled his ears. It was a voice that brought a sensation of fear to his heart and stopped his movement. He turned his head slightly to take a look at his attacker. It was...himself. But...he was dressed in an outfit that was fit for an Egyptian priest.  
  
(From now on Seto Kaiba is Kaiba and Seto is Egyptian Seto...REMEMBER THAT OR YOU WILL GET CONFUSED!!!)  
  
Seto smirked, "Ahh...well if it isn't the other me...such a rude little boy aren't you? Running away from me like that. You should learn to greet your guests. Bad Kaiba!" He kicked Kaiba's side once again in the same place he had before.  
  
Kaiba shuddered at the similarity to his step father, but allowed for the thoughts to slip away, "You aren't real. I'm probably just dreaming...and you're a nightmare."  
  
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" The laughter of Seto rang throughout the darkened room, "Listen boy," Kaiba cringed at the name Gozaburo had always referred to him as, "I'm no nightmare...unless reality is a dream. I am you...or, you are me rather. My soul is a part of you that you cannot rid of. Our minds are permanently entwined...and once I gain control over all of your pathetic mind, I'll be able to gain control of your power as well! I'll control nearly half the city! but with your money, I'll have no troubles proceeding with the elimination of the Pharaoh!"  
  
For once, Kaiba wanted to help Yami. Actually, he was to busy looking over the features of his other self, admiring how handsome he was, but he DID cath all that was said, "Listen, Seto or however you claim to be, I know im dreaming, so any minute now, I'll wake up and..."  
  
He woke up...but not to what he expected. He awoke to the prying eyes of Yugi's friendship group.  
  
Laughter echoed throughout his mind as cold recognition washed over him. His eyes spaced out and his mouth fell open as he sat up...  
  
It wasn't a dream.  
  
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*Eye of Anubis-the Egyptian eye symbol that is found on all the millennium items  
  
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um...I had to separate chapter 13 into two chapters cause it was too long lol 


	15. Tapes Can't Go Through Walls

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
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WOW!!! It has been WAY too long since I last updated! I am SOO sorry for the wait! I was printing up all my fanfiction and putting it all in a binder and creating dividers and working on school projects and studying for exams...but guess what??? It's Christmas break!!!! WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! I am excited to make more chapters to add more to my already expanding binder! It is 5 inches thick and I'm hoping to fill it...this fic will be coming to an end in a few chapters....BUT, I will be making a sequel! That's right! I will have a Trilogy!!!! W00t!!!!!! Ok! On with chapter 15!!!!!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own the plot of this story.  
  
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Cars filled the parking lot of the News Broadcasting station. The sound of traffic drowned the ears of those that passed by and even the sounds of children playing not too far away fell upon deaf ears. Who else would want to come to a place like this other than two mischevious children...or ghouls rather.  
  
The youthful Seto dashed up to the front gates, still unseen to the Employs hurrying to their cars after a long day at work in the bustling city.  
  
"Come on Noa! Geez! No wonder you got hit by a car! You're so freakin' slow!" The boy tapped his foot and put his hands on his hips, waiting impatiently.  
  
Noa cringed at the mention of his death. Yes he had been hit by a car and killed...but he wasn't to be thinking about that now. Now was the time to get his revenge for his father and for himself. It was time to put an end to Seto Kaiba's power...by showing all of Domino what a pervert he really was!  
  
Noa cooly strolled his way over to the brunette boy that was his companion and the boys proceeded to open the door...only to come to find that it had been locked from the inside.  
  
Noa pulled at his hair in anger, "Ugh! We did all of this and the stupid door is locked?!?!?! I should have known that something like this was going to happen!!!!!!"  
  
Little Seto slapped his own forehead in disgust at the Teal-haired boy that accompanied him, "Noa? Are you stupid? Come on! We're spirits you retard! We can walk through doors! Plus, we're invisible, so we don't have to worry about getting stopped by security!"  
  
Noa glared daggers at the boy for calling him childish names, but then loosened up. Seto had a point. They could walk through the doors of the building. Piece of cake!  
  
The two smiled at each other and stepped through the wall. Little Seto was the first to arrive inside, "See Noa? What did I tell ya? We made it here just fine! We don't need doors. Just ourselves, and the tape!"  
  
"Um...yeah, about the tape...I don't think that the tape has the ability to walk through walls." Noa's voice didn't hold that of disappointment, but that of amusement instead. When little Seto turned to view the problem, he found Noa's hand still partially through the wall...the tape remaining on the other side.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Yami still stood in the doorway. He was talking with his aibou*.  
  
"Yugi, this is definitely the work of the priest spirit that dwells with in him. There are no other possibilities. I have no doubts in my mind that an ancient magic is at work here. The Priest and I did have very shaky relations...as I do recall." At those last words, Yami closed his eyes. Visions of past days fell over his mind, showing memories of happiness turn to great despair.  
  
"Yami?" Little Yugi's wide eyes stared upward at the Pharaoh.  
  
Slowly, the taller boy opened his eyes and smiled ever so slightly, "Yes aibou?"  
  
Yugi frowned and looked to the floor, "Does this mean that we're going to have to hurt Kaiba?"  
  
Yami's eyes widened. Since the priest's spirit was a permanent part of Seto Kaiba's mind, how were they to rid of it??? Yugi had a very good question, and the ancient Pharaoh was sad to have no answer, "I'm not sure young one...I'm really not sure"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kaiba stood up with catlike grace. He calmly brushed himself of and stared into the eyes of one particular blonde.  
  
"Heh, that's what you get for entering my room uninvited Joey." Okay, so Kaiba isn't exactly good a humor, and the faces of Yugi's pals showed it. All of them had raised an eyebrow in confusion as to why the brunette would just pass the 'little incident' off as a joke.  
  
Kaiba just rolled his eyes and pushed his way through the smaller teens. His forehead was still beaded with sweat and he knew that his fear was showing. He was shaking...a lot. He feared the fact that Yugi might be right. He feared the fact that there may be someone in his mind. He feared the fact that he could be controlled. It was madness! Why now? When everything was so right!  
  
It was because he showed feelings. He found where to place the blame. Because he opened the locked door for Serenity, he was controlled by a piece of his own mind! "This is why I should shown no feelings...no heart...nothing. If I would have went along with my plans, all would be well." That was the one thought that was encircling his ever-changing mind.  
  
"Seto!" Kaiba stopped as his name was called by what seemed like the voice of an angel. But he didn't believe in angels...who else would call him by his first name? Surely it wasn't Mokuba...so who?  
  
Seto Kaiba smiled and turned around as a warm realization came over him, "Serenity."  
  
Almost in tears, the young girl ran to the millionaire and leaped into his arms. The others watching in total shock.  
  
Joey was pissed!!! "YO MONEYBAGS!!! YOU BETTA GET YA HANDS OFFA MY SISTA!!!"  
  
Kaiba just smirked and leaned his face closer to Serenity's...he was going to kiss her.  
  
Joey rushed over and yanked Serenity from the brunette's embrace quickly and cracked his knuckles, "IF YOU SO MUCH AS TOUCH HER AGAIN, I'LL BEAT YOU WORSE THAN GOZABURO DID!!!"  
  
That did it. That was all it took. He threw in the step dad. Yugi and pals were horror stricken. They knew that even Seto Kaiba had limits on being insulted, and Joey had hit a sore spot.  
  
Sapphire eyes narrowed, the smirked was now curled to an angry frown. His fists were clenched tightly, showing the veins in the top of his hand.  
  
"Lights out........Wheeler" His voice was a low growl. He smirked again as he hurled a punch at the New Yorker's horror-stricken face. He hadn't seen it coming and therefor had no time to escape the blow. With a loud 'thud' Joey Wheeler hit the floor, unconscious.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! JOEY!!!!!!!!!" Serenity ran to her brothers' side. Yes, she loved Seto Kaiba, and what Joey said was way out of line, but that didn't give Kaiba the right to knock him out!!!  
  
When he saw Serenity run to Joey, he marched out of the room. He let his anger get the best of him, "Who does Wheeler think he is?" He growled, "He'll think twice before barking insults at me next time." The thought of Joey with his tail between his legs amused Kaiba. "Joey is very protective of his little sister, kind of like I am with Mokuba...I need to find a way to keep Joey from getting between us all the time. I have to be on the winning side...but how?"  
  
As he crept down the winding stairs, he went over different tactics in his mind until he came to a winning choice, "I've got it!!! I'll meet their parents, be the 'perfect boyfriend' and have their parents on my side! That way, they'll keep Joey out of my hair! HAHAHA! It's perfect!" He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and leaned against the wall, frowning, "But I think Serenity is pissed at me...oh hell, she's easy to please! I'll make her like me without a problem, then ask to meet her parents! Perfect! I'll do that after I check on Mokuba."  
  
He went through room after room and made his way out the back door. Mokuba and all of his friends were still chillin' by the pool, Bakura obviously hadn't gone with the others. He was still on his lounge chair laying out, the sun screen still very evident on his body. Kaiba sat on the chair nearest to his brother, keeping as far away from the mysterious albino as possible, especially since his last encounter was almost fatal.  
  
Yes, not too long from now Seto kaiba would share his idea with Serenity...and then it would all be so much easier from there!  
  
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*aibou-Japanese word meaning 'partner'  
  
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FUN! Mmk, I'll be sure to update sooner next time! Rate and Review! Ja ne! 


	16. It All Adds Up

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
Sorry that I don't update soon enough! Here is chapter 16! Enjoy!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own the plot of this fanfic.  
  
(A/N: Seto Kaiba = Kaiba and Priest Seto = Seto)  
  
As Kaiba got cozy on the snow-white lounge chairs, Yugi and the others examined what the young millionaire had obliviously left behind.  
  
The metallic luster in the ancient gold of the Millennium Rod gleamed with a harsh light as the sun from the bedroom window reflected off its rounded surface. It lay on the floor, seeming perfectly innocent as though it were an artifact and nothing more. However, Joey and the others knew better than to be fooled by its seemingly harmless guise.  
  
Much like Bakura's Millennium Ring, the Millennium Rod held an evil spirit within that wanted nothing more than to defeat the Pharaoh, Yami, and obtain all of the Millennium Items to gain total control over the entire world. But, like all of the other power-hungry spirits out there, the ancient priest knew that he would have to use a few tricks to accomplish this goal and that controlling his hikari would make the job an easier task.  
  
Serenity and the others stared at the Millennium Rod as though it were death itself and would lash out to take their lives if they were to make any movement. An intense feeling hung in the air as the clock ticked in time with each and every heartbeat.  
  
Joey, who had only recently regained consciousness, followed the eyesight of his friends to find the golden object laying abandoned on the soft carpet less than three feet away. Taking the silence as a hint, he followed their lead, watching that rod as though it were some sort of animal preparing to attack.  
  
The warm sun beat down hard onto the pale skin of Bakura Ryou. A sharp, burning sensation covered the parts of his body exposed to the harmful rays. His mothers words flooded his mind. "You need to apply more sun screen every hour or so, otherwise you'll end up looking like a cherry with whipped cream on top!" She would chuckle, just like she did after every joke she had made about his lack of pigment.  
  
Bakura was feeling rebellious and decided not to put more sun screen on (ohhh...he's bad lol). Instead, he threw his legs over the side of the chair and commenced to lift his delicate body up.  
  
Taking notice of the movement out of the corner of his eye, Kaiba glanced casually over at the young albino and sneered. To Kaiba, the gentle boy was a clever disguise to lure in unknowing people and take what he wanted.  
  
Bakura calmly made his way inside to find out where his friends had gone, being especially careful not to make eye contact with the Brunette that watched him.  
  
Seto Kaiba's eyes went wide with sudden recognition. The Millennium Ring that 'killer Bakura' had worn was now nowhere to be seen. Could it be true that the ring controlled the innocent boy? And what about Yugi? Kaiba knew well that the Pharaoh came from the puzzle. It all added up. All that time calling Yami a liar and disbelieving the many stories of priesthood and such. Here the answer was, right in his face.  
  
The ancient holders of the Millennium Items had their souls trapped inside...and their quest to rule as Pharaoh still continued, even though it was a new age...the ancients were in a fight, and the present item holders had been sucked in. Some spirits were for good...some for bad...  
  
And his was bad.  
  
The house was quiet, almost as if the house itself had died. It made the young English boy a bit uneasy but he never once let his adorable smile leave his lips. Journeying through the mansion, Bakura continued the search for his friends, being sure to check every room. Then a thought crossed his mind. Why had they even gone inside in the first place? As he questioned himself, he kept searching. 'Oh yeah...now I remember! They went in to help Kaiba!' He nodded in satisfaction at his thoughts...then came to an abrupt stop, a frown creeping onto his lips.  
  
Kaiba was outside...so why would they be inside? Had Kaiba hurt them? Were they trapped? His mind whirled with frantic questions, making him feel dizzy.  
  
Shaking his young mind free of all the madness, he took up his search yet again. It crossed his mind that they may be in the millionaire's bedroom. The silence made him slightly doubt his thought, but it never hurt to take a look. Making up his mind, Bakura ventured up the elegant staircase...  
  
A hypnotic daze drifted in the air of Seto Kaiba's bedroom. Still no one moved. Anyone who saw them might have called it ridiculous. However, they were all lost in their thoughts, contemplating the days happenings and trying to add everything up and come to a reasonable answer to explain it all.  
  
The room was silent and all were in a sort of undisturbed trance, their focus seemingly on the Millennium Rod while their thoughts wandered elsewhere. Their ears hadn't picked up the light creaking of the stairs or even the soft footsteps that made their way to the bedroom.  
  
Bakura peeked in and was overwhelmed with relief and yelled in happiness, "HI!!!!!!!!!"  
  
That was a mistake. The group jumped up from their resting places and nearly hit the ceiling, they were screaming their loudest and had fallen over toward the farthest wall. Bakura, who hadn't expected this, was also lost in a fit of screams as he quickly backed out of the room and toward the opposite wall.  
  
Kaiba arched a thin eyebrow. The screaming going on inside could faintly be heard outside. Smirking, he ignored the commotion and turned his attention back to Mokuba and the others.  
  
It grew quiet, Serenity held her chest as her heart pounded. They had realized that it was only Bakura.  
  
Joey charged toward the albino and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him roughly, "DON'T YA EVA DO DAT TA US AGAIN!!! YA HEAR ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"  
  
With fear of Joey's wrath clearly evident in the smaller boy's eyes, Joey released him and sighed.  
  
Yugi giggled slightly at the little fright Bakura had given them. Quite ironic really, since they had expected the rod to frighten them and not the quiet British boy. Yugi's eyes were at their widest now. In all the screaming, they had taken their eyes away from that rod.  
  
Looking back to the middle of the floor, Yugi gasped, giving him the attention of all of his friends, "You guys," He whispered, "It's gone..."  
  
That's all for this chapter! You like? Rate and review! 


	17. Apologies and Forgiveness

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
Woah...I actually updated. I shall try not to abandon any of my fanfics, but I do usually lack the motive to write new chapters. I have gotten back into fanfiction recently, reading some excellent fics that weren't ever finished. Then it reminded me of how I never finished "Love is Sweet Salvation" or "When You See The Light" or "Ankh of Despair". So here I am with yet another chapter. I'm going to begin heading towards a conclusion. On with the fic!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own the plot of this fanfic.  
  
Once again all eyes were fixed upon Seto Kaiba's bedroom floor. They all should have seen that coming. The one moment that their attention was diverted, the Millennium Rod disappeared. Bakura, however, stared at that single spot on the floor in utter confusion. He knew nothing about the incident with the one golden object and therefore saw no use in gawking.  
  
The albino shifted side to side nervously, "Um, does anyone care to explain why the floor is so important? And Yugi, what on Earth do you mean when you say 'it's gone'?? What's gone?"  
  
There was an awkward silence as they all looked to one another as if deciding who would explain. Breaking the silence, the ancient Pharaoh emerged from the puzzle and came face to face with the pale-skinned boy.  
  
Yami sighed, "You remember the Millennium Rod that once belonged to Marik?" When he received a gentle nod, he continued, "Well, that rod is now in Kaiba's possession and it seems to have a mind of its own. Actually, it is much like your Millennium Ring Bakura." He glanced down at Bakura's chest as though to lay his eyes on the boys item, but it was nowhere to be seen, "Hm. It looks as though your ring likes to play the disappearing act as well." He switched back to the young, innocent Yugi.  
  
Outside, the young CEO took a look at his watch. "Well, it's been awhile since I've heard a peep from those morons." He looked up at his bedroom window as if he expected to see them standing there, "I guess it's time to apologize to sweet Serenity and pretend I'm sorry for flattening her idiotic brother." He sighed as his pulled himself up from the chair and made his way to the back door.  
  
Mokuba stopped what he was doing for a short moment only to see his brother shut the door. He mumbled quietly to himself, "Looks like someone is having trouble in paradise." He returned to his play.  
  
Inside, the tall brunette silently climbed the stares, stopping in the long hall just outside of his own bedroom. Never had he thought that going into his own room would be such a task. Now he had to do the unthinkable. Seto Kaiba had to apologize.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he walked inside, pasting a look of concern and regret upon his face to give his 'sorry talk' the ultimate effect.  
  
Yet again, everyones eyes wondered to the teen who had just entered the room. Tristan and Te'a held onto Joey to keep the wild street kid from attacking the rich teen that had delivered that wicked punch to his face. Serenity turned to look away from Kaiba. She was upset with him and refused to even see his face.  
  
Mentally smacking himself for punishing her brother in front of her, Kaiba went and sat next to her on his bed, "Serenity," His voice was unusually soft, it was as though he were speaking to Mokuba rather than Serenity Wheeler, "Listen, I overreacted when I let into your brother." This began to catch Serenity's attention. She turned to face him and the boy continued, "I can see that I have upset you with my violent actions and believe me, that is something that I cannot bear. Please Serenity, just believe me when I tell you that it won't ever happen again." His voice didn't drip with his usual sarcasm. He was being completely sincere.  
  
Serenity blushed a light pink and hugged her love, "You're such a sweetie Seto! Of course I forgive you!" She smiled and even giggled a bit as she hugged her warm boyfriend.  
  
Joey just sat still, fuming at how easy it was to win his sisters forgiveness.  
  
It was a long while later. Mokuba's friends had all returned home and Yugi and the others stayed, playing video games with Mokuba, eating, talking, joking, just anything to have a good time. The CEO had retreated into his home office, working at his computer and filling out papers of all varieties. Serenity would look over her shoulder at the office door, just to see if he would open it and come out.  
  
During all of the commotion of laughter and crunching chips as well as gunfire from their rather violent video game, the phone let out a shrill ring. Serenity jumped up, "I'll get it!"  
  
Running over to the phone, she nearly stumbled over her own feet. The young girl was able to pull the phone off the hook just before the answering machine picked up, "Um, hello?"  
  
"Serenity?"  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Hey sweetie! I was just wondering when you would be coming home. It's almost dinner time you know!"  
  
Serenity looked at the clock. It was 6:30pm, "Hey mom? Would you mind if I invited Seto over for dinner?" Her voice dripped with that 'I'm your baby girl' tone.  
  
Mrs. Wheeler sounded a bit jumpy, "You mean your rich boyfriend? Oh please invite him! That would be splendid! I've always wanted to meet the richest boy in the city!"  
  
Serenity smiled, "Thanks mom, Joey and Seto and I will be there soon."  
  
With that, the phone call ended and Serenity Wheeler practically skipped back into the living room, "Joey, mom says that we need to go home for dinner and that Seto is invited!" She said the last few words loud enough so that the busy teen might hear her in his office. Sure enough, his little head poked out of the office door (after he opened it of course) followed by the rest of his thin body.  
  
"Dinner eh?" Kaiba smirked in his mind. It all worked out just as he expected it to, "Muto, I know that I'm not accustomed to asking favors of you, or anyone for that matter, but could you keep an eye on Mokuba until I come home?"  
  
Yugi just gave a large smile, like he always does, "Absolutely Kaiba! No trouble at all!"  
  
The three of them climbed into one of Kaiba's limousines and began their trip to the Wheeler's house. Seto Kaiba didn't exactly know what he was in for. He hadn't eaten over at anyone elses home before, especially not someone with as little money as the Wheeler's had. Okay, so they weren't dirt poor, but compared to Kaiba they were. Either way, this was his chance to put on his perfect little act. All he had to do was win the trust of Serenity's parents and he would be home free........  
  
That's all for this chapter! You know the drill! Rate and review! 


	18. To Claim that Smile

"Love is Sweet Salvation"  
  
Well, I haven't updated this fic in about a month...that isn't TOO bad I suppose...this story hasn't gotten as many reviews as I had hoped that it would. No matter! This is the final chapter...so I should be tying up all loose ends. . . this is probably going to be a long chapter. Enjoy chapter 18!  
  
DISCLAIMER: Hey guess what? I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Strange eh? The plot is MINE though! growls  
  
The sleek, black limousine came to a silent halt in front of the Wheeler residence. Joey's father had gone to Las Vegas for a couple weeks and therefore his mother and Serenity were staying with him for company.  
  
It wasn't in the best shape. The scenery was all trees and an occasional bush. No fancy decor or colorful flowers were in the area. The building itself looked rather run-down and dumpy, but still inhabitable. . . for the Wheeler's at least. The street on which it was place reeked of garbage and a family of stray cats fled from around the corner. It certainly made the young CEO uneasy. He was tempted to let Serenity and Joey out of the limousine and then leave. . .  
  
But he was on a mission. He had some trust to win; good thing that winning people over happened to be Seto Kaiba's specialty.  
  
Joey was the first to step out, followed by Serenity and then by Seto, who looked disgusted at the condition of their 'home'. Serenity's mother opened the door, a wide smile spread across her face, to greet them. She had a pink apron tied around her neck and waist and a white oven mitt on one hand, using the other hand to wave at them; smiling all the while.  
  
Feeling pretty hungry, even though he was eating the whole time at the mansion (typical), Joey grabbed ahold of his sister's wrist and ran past his mother, inside the house; Serenity let out a yelp as she was dragged away.  
  
Seto watched on, arching an eyebrow at the blonde weirdo. Slowly, he strode up to the doorway, which the older woman was still standing in. Not quite sure of what to do, he simply stared into her eyes, expecting this to intimidate her and make her move.  
  
She simply stared back with that stupid grin on her face. Some inside of Kaiba made him want to shove her out of the way. Grinning like that. . . so stupid. Now that woman had her hands on her hips! What was she expecting of him?  
  
Kaiba thought about this carefully and then mentally whacked himself on the head when he realized what it was that she wanted, "Hi, my name is Seto Kaiba. You're Serenity's mother I presume? Well, it is quite the pleasure to meet you." With this, he plastered the biggest smile he possibly could on his face. Accepting this, she nodded her head, with that stupid grin STILL there, and stepped aside, allowing him to pass.  
  
The table was in the kitchen. No dining hall, no long table with a silk cloth, no maids to pull the chairs out for them. . . just a plain kitchen with a plain table. The whole place the dull; nothing grand or gorgeous about it. Kaiba was already missing the luxuries of being wealthy.  
  
Serenity's mother (I dunno her last name or first name! Gah!) was at the stove, slaving over the dinner that was to be served, "Serenity, why don't you show your rich boyfriend around the house while you wait for dinner to be done?" That same annoying smile was pasted on her face and the way that she called Kaiba 'your rich boyfriend' made the wealthy teen want to hurt the older woman.  
  
The younger teen bounced in excitement, "Awesome idea mom! Seto, I can show you all of the posters of you in my room! I could also show you Joey's VERY messy room!" She motioned her hand towards her brother, who blushed slightly at his lack of neatness.  
  
Her room was small; very, VERY small. It was clear that this was her room when she was a child, before her parents divorced and she had to move away. There were posters of the famous CEO all over the walls. Posters from when he became national champion, posters from Battle City, posters from the Kaiba Corporation Grand Prix(1). . . she even had Duel Disk and Kaiba Land advertisements!  
  
Seto Kaiba's eyes were stuck wide open at the collage of him that this young girl had created. He admired the many photos of himself and she just smiled that same smile that her mother had. . . that smile that made him cringe. There was something about it that he hated; something about it that made him jealous. . . but what?  
  
"Seto? Are you okay?" Serenity's soft voice broke his thoughts, his anger, and she motioned for him to have a seat beside her on her bed; still smiling. That smile that made him shiver that smile that made him furious. . . that smile that he wanted.  
  
He took a seat at her side and tried to mock her smile, but it felt wrong. There was something in that smile that he didn't have, something that he wanted. He knew that smile, that face. Mokuba owned it as well. It finally hit him as to what that smile was. It was purity, it was innocence, it was good, it was compassion. . . everything that he had lost because of 'him'.  
  
He shook away those thoughts. This was his opportunity! He reached a hand out to stroke Serenity's soft cheek, but pulled it back almost instantly, a look of confusion and regret slipping over his features.  
  
Serenity now looked concerned. What was wrong with this boy? What was on his mind? Was he nervous? Was he planning something? Kaiba's thoughts and intentions were unknown to her. She tilted her head slightly, like a playful little girl trying to figure something out. . . and that was almost the case.  
  
Kaiba mentally screamed at himself, 'No no no!! She's innocent! She needs her youth. . . what if Mokuba were in her position? There is no difference. Her innocence. . . it's too precious!'  
  
Another voice chimed in to him, "Oh but Kaiba, look how beautiful she is! Look how you two are alone in this room! Look how much she loves you!"  
  
Serenity Wheeler's face was horror stricken as the eye of Anubis glowed brightly on the millionaires forehead. That 'thing' was back! She edged away, almost frozen with terror.  
  
Back at the mansion, blood spurted from wounded and dead monsters on the television screen. They were still playing their video games. The Pharaoh and Bandit King, however, were not in the least bit interested in this. Their spirits floated beside their hikaris, looking completely bored.  
  
Yami sighed, "Here we are, being absolutely carefree even though we never did find that rod."  
  
The room came to a halt; laughter ceased and the game went quickly on pause as all attention was turned to Yami, cold realization had struck.  
  
Yami Bakura chuckled, "You act as though finding it would be a tedious task. I could find it within a matter of seconds." He lightly tapped the Millennium Ring and grinned wickedly, "Ring, show me where the Millennium Rod is now located." By some ghostly force, a golden prong glowed and stood up, pointing Northeast.  
  
Tristan tilted his head, "Hey, doesn't Joey live that way? Kaiba is with them. Do ya think that maybe HE has the rod?"  
  
The others looked at one another, nodding. Bakura's gentle voice interrupted, "Yes, perhaps his rod is exactly like my ring in the fact that no matter what you do to it or with it, it will always return to it owner. Remember how you threw mine out into the woods during Duelist Kingdom Tristan?"  
  
Yugi stood up, "Well if all of this is true, we should call Joey and warn him before someone gets hurt!"  
  
The Pharaoh nodded in complete agreement, "Yes. Since Seto Kaiba's 'yami' isn't actually a piece of his mind and not another spirit, it would be harder for him to control it. I'm worried that he isn't strong enough to stop the mind of the priest that lies within him."  
  
The battle inside of Kaiba's mind raged on. The young boy, refusing to touch the girl, yelling on about innocence; the priest only speaking of lust and beauty. Seto Kaiba wasn't about to lose this one. Losing against his own mind. . . it was unheard of! He'd be dubbed insane! It was time to take control, "NO! I WON'T TOUCH HER! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!!! NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!" He held his head with both hands, screaming at the taunting voice in his head; that voice whose words were laced with a thick poison that threatened Serenity's well being and Kaiba's reputation and relationship.  
  
Serenity jumped back, shocked at the sudden outburst. The phone rang, but Serenity made no effort to answer it; there was just too much going on!  
  
Downstairs, Joey had heard Kaiba and darted out of the kitchen only to be told by his mother to answer the phone first. What he heard caused him to nearly throw the phone and run upstairs like a bat out of hell.  
  
The CEO was on his knees, hands firmly against the sides of his head, pleading the man inside his mind to go away and to leave him alone. Something touched his back. On instinct, he reached around and pull the object away to have a look at it. Azure eyes caught a flash of gold and immediately the Millennium Rod was chucked out the window, shattering the glass.  
  
Joey burst into the room ready to kill anyone to save his little sister. . . but what he found more disturbing than it was threatening.  
  
Serenity now lay on top of Seto; both were laying on the young girls bed. . . that wasn't what disturbed the blonde brother. They had their mouths occupied, making out like there was no tomorrow. The window in her bedroom was broken, causing the boy to arch a thin eyebrow, but he returned his attention to the two teens in a make-out session. His baby sister with his worst enemy. . . how disgusting.  
  
A small hand rested on Joey's shoulder, "Joseph, sweetie, let it go. It's alright. I believe that Kaiba is a good boy." Joey's mother had that same innocent smile, that gentle smile that told her son everything would be okay and told him to let it go this time.  
  
Serenity and Kaiba now sat side by side. . . the young girl was blushing while the older boy could only smile. It wasn't a smile of malice or trickery. It was the smile that had played upon Serenity's lips. That innocent grin that was worn by the pure-at-heart.  
  
All four smiled as they made their way down the staircase and to the small kitchen for a nice, home-cooked meal. Everything had turned out well in the young girl's bedroom and in the relationship. Kaiba saw through the evil he so wanted to commit and defeated the ancient half of his mind. The group joked and laughed over dinner. . .  
  
Light bounced from a rounded surface. The gold shimmered and glowed eerily. An ancient spirit laughed demonically from deep within as the beautiful artifact faded into the night air. . .  
  
(1) Kaiba Corporation Grand Prix - A tournament held by Seto Kaiba after the Doom Organization series which occurs after the Battle City tournament.  
  
Well? This is the very last chapter of this story. . . what do you think? Should I make a sequel to the sequel? I was thinking that maybe I should. . . but I don't think that many people like my fiction. . . tell me in your review!  
  
-kiokukaiba 


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